Artist sues after World Trade Center sculptures damaged in NYC

Metro

By Kathianne Boniello

A New Jersey artist says his “world” was wrecked.

Daniel Anderson created a giant 12-foot-tall, 10-ton metallic globe, with a similarly-sized set of jacks made to look like arms and fists, in front of the Freedom Tower in a project he dubbed “XO World.”

But the pieces were damaged in transit from South Korea before their September 2021 installation, according to a Manhattan Supreme Court lawsuit filed in September against shipping company Wallenius Wilhelmsen Ocean.

The process to install the sculptures required “intricate planning,” including special permits and shutting down the West Side Highway, Anderson said in court papers.

As soon as the sculptures were inspected at the pier, “it became apparent that the sculpture had been significantly damaged, in that it had been scraped and dented,” Anderson claimed.

The artworks, which were unveiled days later, “required immediate and superficial repairs to make it presentable,” and Wallenius ignored Anderson’s attempts to be repaid for the damages.

He’s seeking $455,000 damages.

Wallenius Wilhelmsen declined comment on the litigation, but the company denied wrongdoing in court papers responding to the allegations.