Monumental sculpture celebrated on Penn’s campus

On Nov. 8, the University of Pennsylvania revealed “Rui Rui,” a monumental addition to the Penn Art Collection. At 23 feet tall and 19,608 pounds, the cast-iron bust is a quiet giant whose mirage-like exterior belies its solid construction. The work of Spanish sculptor Jaume Plensa, the massive form is modeled and named after his daughter-in-law and continues the artist’s contemplation of the human head in awe-inspiring scale.

The sculpture is the gift of Glenn and Amanda Fuhrman, who are Penn alumni, philanthropists, and long-standing patrons of the arts.

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“Penn is a place for cultural and creative vitality, for anyone who walks onto our campus. The sculptures across our grounds exemplify that ethos: they are for students, for Philadelphia, for all,” said Penn President J. Larry Jameson at the sculpture’s unveiling in Harrison Garden, a leafy oasis adjacent to the Penn Museum and the Clifton Center for Medical Breakthroughs. “We are deeply grateful to Glenn and Amanda for sharing our vision and bringing this inspirational work of art to Penn.”

Known for his public sculptures, Plensa’s  work can be seen in cities across Spain, France, Japan, England, Korea, Germany, and Canada. At Penn, “Rui Rui” joins a monumental collection that includes “Brick House,” by artist Simone Leigh, which came to the University on extended loan from the Fuhrmans in 2020. Both sculptures debuted in Venice Biennales and are now campus landmarks. Lynn Smith Dolby, director of the Penn Art Collection, celebrated the latest installation. “‘Rui Rui’ is the first public work by Jaume Plensa in Philadelphia,” said Smith Dolby. “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.”

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

Glenn Fuhrman said, “Bringing ‘Rui Rui’ to Penn holds particular significance. 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.”

Amanda Fuhrman graduated in 1995 and is a nonpracticing attorney, previously with Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP. She is currently enrolled in The Spirituality Mind Body area of focus Graduate Studies at Teachers College, Columbia University. She was also the deputy executive director of The Millennium Promise Alliance, Inc., a nonprofit focused on eradicating extreme poverty. She is a Trustee of the Brooklyn Museum and the co-founder of The FLAG Award for Teaching Excellence.

Glenn Fuhrman studied finance and art history, receiving his bachelor’s degree from Penn in 1987 and an MBA from the Wharton School the following year. He is one of the founders and managing partners of Tru Arrow Partners, and he is the founder and CEO of Virtru Investment Partners. He is a Trustee of New York-Presbyterian Hospital, the Museum of Modern Art, and the TATE Americas Foundation. He is also a board member of the Institute of Contemporary Art in Philadelphia, the Central Park Conservancy, and Gagosian Gallery, among others. In 2007, he founded The FLAG Art Foundation in New York City as an independent exhibition space.