Juana (2025), a monumental artwork by Jaume Plensa, one of the leading figures of contemporary sculpture on an international scale, meets the audience on the coastal band of Tersane Istanbul by the Golden Horn. The cast iron sculpture, approximately 7 meters tall, holds the distinction of being Plensa’s first work exhibited in a public space in Istanbul. Born in Barcelona in 1955, Jaume Plensa produces in the fields of sculpture, drawing, installation, and public art. The relationship between the human figure, language, memory, silence, and space lies at the center of the artist's practice pursued for many years. Known for his monumental public works realized in different cities around the world, Plensa brings together a powerful physical scale with an introverted and reflective narrative. Juana is also one of the characteristic examples of this approach. The work's strong and heavy physical presence made of cast iron establishes a distinct contrast with the figure's closed eyes and serene expression. This state of turning inward, frequently encountered in Plensa's works, invites the viewer not only to look at the sculpture, but also to think about their own perception and the relationship they establish with the space they are in.
The location of the work at Tersane Istanbul also forms an important part of this narrative. At the point specifically chosen by Plensa, Juana opens toward the Golden Horn, the water, and the layered history of Istanbul. In this location where structures belonging to different periods and cultures come together in the same field of view, the sculpture establishes a constantly changing relationship with water, architecture, history, and landscape. The changing light of the Golden Horn throughout the day, the movement of the water, and the urban life surrounding it transform the perception of the work anew with every encounter. Juana, on the other hand, creates a quiet and meditative space of its own within all this movement. The positioning of the work at Tersane Istanbul is at the same time one of the important steps of Tersane Istanbul’s long-term approach toward art and culture and its developing public art program. Tersane Istanbul treats contemporary art not only within exhibition spaces, but as an experience that naturally meets architecture, history, landscape, and daily life. Juana can be seen at Tersane Istanbul from August 2026 to February 2027.