Spanish artist Alfredo Lanz has 2 sculptures on display near Barcelona’s waterfront.
This is the better known and larger of the two and is located in Plaça del Mar square next to the Barceloneta and Sant Sebastià beaches.
The Olympic disciplines of water polo, diving, crawl and synchronised swimming are represented by two dimensional silhouettes supported by large sweeping abstract forms reminiscent of both waves and the wake left by swimmers as they cut through the water.
The monument’s reddish brown finish gives it the appearance of a rusting hulk which has been washed up on the beach during a bad storm. On a sunny day, the shadows projected on the wide promenade add another dimension to the design.
Alfredo Lanz was born in Madrid in 1945. He studied art and design at the Casa de la Moneda y Timbre before moving to New York to continue his studies. In 1970 he moved to Barcelona where he designed jewelry for most of the major Spanish manufacturers and launched his career as a sculptor. Since 2012 Lanz lives in Mexico and his work is exhibited in museums, art galleries and public spaces worldwide.
Source: https://barcelonalowdown.com/homage-swimming-alfredo-lanz/