Walking to the Sky

“Walking to the Sky” is an intriguing public sculpture by Jonathan Borofsky. It debuted at Rockefeller Center in 2004 and was relocated to the Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas in 2005. Copies of this sculpture also exist at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and in Seoul, South Korea. The artwork depicts various figures ascending a 100-foot stainless steel pole, which is inclined at a 75-degree angle to the east. Borofsky created a similar piece titled “Woman Walking to the Sky” in Strasbourg, France, near a memorial for a synagogue destroyed in 1940.

The inspiration for “Walking to the Sky” stemmed from a story Borofsky’s father told him about a friendly giant in the sky. The sculpture symbolizes human potential and the journey of self-discovery. When it was installed at Carnegie Mellon University in 2006, it was a gift from Jill Gansman Kraus and her husband. However, the piece was not universally acclaimed. Some students criticized its appearance, placement, and the lack of campus involvement in the decision to install it. To some, it was considered an eyesore or even resembled a phallic symbol. Due to structural issues, it was replaced in 2009.