Fort Lauderdale’s Riveting New Sculpture
South African Artist Daniel Popper's "Thrive" Is A Must-See Piece
A new public art installation in downtown Fort Lauderdale is massive, impressive and looks like it came straight out of a fairytale.
South African artist Daniel Popper created the piece called “Thrive,” a seraphic female figure opening up its chest to reveal a passageway laced in ferns. The rustic, 27-foot-tall, almost 14-ton, concrete sculpture has been permanently installed beneath the front portico of Society Las Olas, a residential building near the brick-lined Riverwalk. During the unveiling in November, Popper said his sculpture represents “a woman made of stone with a hard exterior opening herself up to reveal her interior garden.”
City officials say “Thrive,” which represents women’s empowerment, was just the kind of thing they sought in their effort to revitalize the downtown community.
Massive works like this aren’t unusual for Popper, who has spent years creating colossal public installations at top festivals including the Electric Forest festival in the United States, Rainbow Serpent festival in Australia, Boom Festival in Portugal and Afrikaburn in South Africa.
“Thrive,” which faces The Wharf Fort Lauderdale — an expansive outdoor bar and entertainment hotspot on Las Olas Boulevard — is quickly becoming a favorite among Instagrammers visiting downtown Fort Lauderdale.