Kenny Scharf Brings Scary to Rockefeller Center

Scary and Its Six Dancers

Scary stands 34 feet tall in Rockefeller Center’s Center Plaza. The inflatable creature is the centerpiece of Scary and the Dancers!, presented by Art Production Fund and Rockefeller Center. It is Scharf’s largest sculptural commission to date.

The sculpture takes its cue from Halloween lawn inflatables. Six dancing figures surround it, borrowing their movement from the air dancers often seen outside car dealerships and gas stations. The wide-eyed creature has a hot-orange and cobalt palette.

Murals, Flags and a Cosmic Cavern

The exhibition continues indoors, with murals and sculptural installations in the lobbies of 10, 30 and 50 Rockefeller Plaza. At 45 Rockefeller Plaza, three display cases hold installations from Scharf’s world, including his Cosmic Cavern.

More than 100 flags designed by the artist also fly across Rockefeller Center. The plaza sculpture, lobby works and flags belong to the center’s Art in Focus program, which presents contemporary artists in public locations around the campus. Art Production Fund produces the series with Rockefeller Center.

Scharf’s East Village Roots

Born in Los Angeles in 1958, Scharf earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts at New York’s School of Visual Arts in 1980. He became part of the city’s East Village art scene alongside Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat. His work appeared in the 1985 Whitney Biennial.

Scharf calls his practice Pop Surrealism. His paintings and sculptures draw on popular culture, including The Flintstones and The Jetsons, as well as creatures he invents. His work also spans installations, murals, performance and fashion. He currently lives and works in Los Angeles.

Children’s Planters Join the Exhibition

Art Production Fund’s Art Sundae program gives children a chance to make work for the exhibition. Inspired by Scharf’s Living Sunshine Caverns, participants paint planters with characters and colorful designs. Each finished planter holds a plant.

The children’s pieces will be displayed at Rockefeller Center in a Sunshine Cavern designed by Scharf. Art Sundae pairs a contemporary artist with children for hands-on art making; their collaborative work becomes a public installation. The workshops are free and open to all ages. Registration is for participating children only.

Where the Workshops Take Place

The Art Sundae sessions meet on the South Plaza outside 10 Rockefeller Plaza, between 48th and 49th Streets. They run from 10 a.m. to noon on October 10, 17, 24 and 31. If the weather turns, the workshops move into the building’s lobby.