University receives alumni gift to bring Spanish sculpture “Rui Rui” to Penn Museum

The Penn Art Collection unveiled a new 23-foot sculpture on Nov. 8 on Harrison Green, adjacent to the Penn Museum.

The sculpture — named “Rui Rui” — is a work by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa and was donated by 1987 Wharton graduate Glenn Fuhrman and 1995 College graduate Amanda Fuhrman. “Rui Rui” is inspired by Plensa’s daughter-in-law and the complexities of the human head.

“When we first saw ‘Rui Rui’ in Venice, we were immediately impressed by how the sculpture embodied both gravity and transcendence,” Amanda Fuhrman said to Penn Today. “We are so excited to share this great work with the Penn students and the city of Philadelphia.”

Penn President Larry Jameson spoke at the sculpture’s unveiling about the generosity of the Fuhrmans, who are art collectors and both trustees of art museums in New York City.

“Penn is a place for cultural and creative vitality, for anyone who walks onto our campus,” Jameson said to Penn Today. “The sculptures across our grounds exemplify that ethos: they are for students, for Philadelphia, for all. We are deeply grateful to Glenn and Amanda for sharing our vision and bringing this inspirational work of art to Penn.”

“Rui Rui” joins the University collection that includes another work given on extended loan from the Fuhrmans in 2020, “Brick House,” a piece by artist Simone Leigh. 

Glenn Fuhrman emphasized the relevance of bringing the statue to campus.

“Bringing ‘Rui Rui’ to Penn holds particular significance,” he said to Penn Today. “This campus is where I first discovered my love of art as a student, and ‘Rui Rui’ is a masterpiece that I believe will inspire that same appreciation in generations of students to come.”

Other pieces of Plensa’s are on public display around Europe, Asia, and Canada.

“‘Rui Rui’ is the first public work by Jaume Plensa in Philadelphia,” Director of the Penn Art Collection Lynn Smith Dolby said to Penn Today. “We are honored that it is joining not just the Penn Art Collection and Penn’s sculpture gardens, but our city’s famed tradition of artistic exploration.”