On Tuesday, May 1, LREI welcomed a new, creative addition to the High School: a sculpture by New York City artist and alumni parent Tom Otterness.

"We are so grateful to Tom for this donation," says Director Phil Kassen. The sculpture is Otterness's second work donated to the school. The first is located on the steps leading into the Sixth Avenue building. "It's a beautiful piece of art and a connection between our two campuses. We all look forward to enjoying it for many years to come."

The sculpture — called "The Consumer" — was installed in the lobby of the Charlton Street building's recently-renovated wing, which will be just steps from the Charlton Street Arts Pavilion, set to open this fall. Community members are invited to come take a look!

Otterness's works can be found all around the city (the 14th Street/8th Avenue subway station, Battery Park City, to name a few) and all around the world. Just a few days before the unveiling, our second graders found themselves in Otterness's Brooklyn studio, where he gave them a tour and a demonstration of his process.

One student's take-away: "I like how he told a story with each statue."