Photo: UnBeige

New York City is well-stocked for public art this summer, with David Byrne's musical building, Chris Burden's erector set homage to Rockefeller Center, and the imminent waterfalls of Olafur Eliasson. Over at Lever House, they've displaced the courtyard Damien Hirst sculpture "The Virgin Mother" (the subject of innumerable complaints by the easily offended, we hear) and swapped out the naked men for sculptures by Tom Sachs. For his first monumental works in bronze ("ironically painted white to resemble the foam core surface" of the initial models), Sachs chose a trio of cute cartoon characters, among them Sanrio's enduringly popular Hello Kitty. In today's Friday photo, one of the sculptures that doubles as a fountain looks to be tearfully sympathizing with a man as he slowly realizes that 53rd Street and Park Avenue might not be the most lucrative corner for a fruit stand.