Franz West was an Austrian sculptor and Conceptual artist. Perhaps best known for his colorful, playful public art, his work can be found in cities all over the world, notably including New York’s Central Park. Born on February 16, 1947 in Vienna, Austria, West did not begin studying art until the age of 30, graduating from the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna in 1983. His early work was inspired by the Viennese Actionism movement of the early 70s, consisting of applying or “adapting” new materials to everyday objects such as wrapping coke bottles in gauze or creating large “sausage-like” sculptures out of welded metal. During this time, West also developed a series of Adaptives, humorous plaster abstract objects meant...