The Cuban-born sculptor created this piece for the 2006 Biennial and it is arguably the largest piece of public art in the city centre. In Homer’s Odyssey Penelope was Ulysses’ wife. Penelope faithfully awaited her husband’s return from the Trojan war. She put off numerous suitors by saying she had to finish weaving a robe, unravelling her day’s work each night to maintain her fidelity. The stalks are references to both Penelope’s weaving and to the local history of rope-making. The Tate Director of 2006 said “Penelope is monumental without being domineering or overpowering. It is a work that is bold, dynamic and exhilarating while directly referencing the history of the city and its immediate architectural situation”.
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