JAIME HAYON’S HIJINKS AT THE HIGH

WHILE THE LINES BETWEEN ART, design, and decoration have been steadily blurring, Jaime Hayon loves to cloud them even further by bringing play into the mix, and he’s doing so this summer with Tiovivo: Whimsical Sculptures by Jaime Hayon at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta. For the installation in the Woodruff Arts Center’s Carroll Slater Sifly Piazza, the Spanish-born artistdesigner known for his whimsical oversized creations is drawing on the general theme of the carousel (tiovivo in Spanish) with four enormous figures that suggest ones that might be found on a merry-go-round.

COURTESY JAIME HAYON

For the project he’s using marine-grade plywood for the first time, molding it in the tradition of boat-building to form his structures, then painting them with bright eye-popping patterns of polka dots, chevrons, and stripes. “The dramatically proportioned shapes offer a scale shift that transforms the ‘toys’ into beautifully crafted architecture,” Sarah Schleuning, curator of decorative arts and design at the High, says. “Complete with slides, stairs, and charming interiors to match the fanciful exteriors of the structures, Tiovivo is designed for all ages—to linger, play, and imagine that anything is possible, especially at a museum.” That’s the whole point of the High’s three-year-old outdoor initiative—to encourage visitors to engage with art and design beyond the museum’s walls (Tiovivo will also be a stage for performances, art-making programs, and other events). Jaime Hayon’s fantastical figures are the perfect invitation to join in the fun. high.org