L'OREAL West Coast Headquarters Sculptures
Two new sculptures, ‘Wing’ and ‘Cocoon,’ by multimedia artist Nicole Landau, were recently unveiled at L’Oréal USA's striking new west coast headquarters, designed by Gensler. Each sculpture is composed of three geometric elements standing eight feet in height and spanning up to 13 feet in length. As her first public art installation, ‘Wing’ and ‘Cocoon’ mark a significant milestone for Landau, whose work is part of many major corporate and private collections.
The sculptures are the inaugural public artworks of El Segundo’s new Cultural Development Program. With this commission, L’Oréal USA, the largest subsidiary of the L’Oréal Group, the world’s leading beauty company, is poised to be a front-runner in the South Bay cultural renaissance.
“The sculptures’ symbolism commences with a linear abstraction of a butterfly cocoon and wing representing empowerment, potential and unquestionable belief in oneself and our journey – reflecting L’Oréal’s belief of releasing the beauty and confidence from within,” says Landau.
“A cocoon signifies a metamorphosis that begins with a single thread of creation and manifestation. My vision is conceptually based on the String Theory, where all of life originates from a String – a vibration, the purest form of energy. There is a complex pattern of interconnection with everything in the universe: nature, science, spirituality, and the people we meet. We are one as we weave our way through life, growing and evolving.”
‘WING Sculpture’, at the garden entrance, appears to be lifting off like a butterfly wing, and its unique shapes symbolize diversity.
As one walks around each sculpture, the color-shifting paint changes as if the viewer and the sculptures are connected and moving together;
‘Wing’ transitions from magenta, deep purple, to copper and golds, revealing different colors at different times of the day.
COCOON - Drawing inspiration from the endangered El Segundo Blue Monarch Butterfly, the vibrant blue interior of ‘Cocoon’ located at the main entrance of the building, represents the butterfly inside, while the white pearlescent exterior resembles a silk butterfly cocoon.
The arcing of the sun adds another dimension as it casts moving shadows through the angular shapes framing the surrounding nature.