Gabriel Koren

Sculptor

Artist’s Statement

I was born and raised in Budapest, Hungary. My father was a musician who travelled around the world, and I grew up with books and pictures of African people. In school I received a multicultural education which included the history of ancient African Civilizations and African American history and culture.

As a result of my education at home and in school during my teenage years I developed a very strong attraction and admiration of African American art and culture. This attraction remained with me for many years and it only became stronger when I came to live in New York City in 1978. For fifteen years I attended history lectures in African American churches and community centers. I learned from the most respected history professors in the community, teaching African American history. These lectures were the source of my inspiration to create sculptures of great African American historical figures.

In Budapest there are many sculptures of Hungarian thinkers, writers and historical figures in the parks and on the streets. As a child I grew up playing with these sculptures, climbing on them, while constantly asking my grandmother who these people were.

Before coming to America most of my sculptures were of Europeans. When I came to New York City, I realized that there were very few public sculptures of great African Americans. This is why I feel greatly inspired to create their sculptures for public view. It is my goal to create sculptures of the gorgeous mosaic of the people of New York.