Jim Rennert

Just a short walk from Grand Central or Times Square, you can see Jim Rennert’s iconic Everyman figures in business attire at any time of the day or night.  At 1185 Avenue of the Americas (6^th Ave. between W 46th and W 47th Streets), Rennert’s Inner Dialogue—a person conversing with a miniature version of himself whom he holds in his hand—and Timing—a suited figure glancing at his wristwatch—are on public view. A bit farther uptown at 1350 Avenue of the Americas (between W 54^th and W 55^th St.), passersby will encounter Listen, a 12-foot-tall figure with a finger crossing his lips, gesturing for silence. He seems to encourage viewers to take a break from the hustle and bustle of urban life and just listen, to the sounds of the city, to their companions, or to their own thoughts.

Venture over to 1700 Broadway (between W 53^rd and W 54^th St.), and you cannot miss WTF, a larger-than-life bronze sculpture with arms outstretched and head tilted upward, questioning his circumstances, and perhaps beseeching the universe for better fortune. In this sculpture, as with all Rennert’s work, the artist’s gentle humor and profound empathy shine through universal gestures and figures just abstract enough to represent each of us.