Golem is a large totem-like piece that resembles an abstracted face made of colorful scraps of metal. Affectionately called “The Neighborhood Protector,” Golem pays homage to the people and history of Harlem, while embodying its current spirit of growth. Golem’s patchwork look is representative of the different cultures and peoples of the neighborhood, some of whom donated scrap metal to the piece. The elements that make up the work include parts from New York Taxis, Chinese Food woks, trucks, and vans.

Golem is on permanent loan thanks to the efforts of Harlem Hospital’s Chief of Staff, Ms. Sylvia White and Artist & Director of Art and Culture at Harlem Hospital, Mr. Ronald Draper, whose work can seen lining the entrance to the Mural Pavilion and throughout the grounds.

Jordan is a New York born artist and Harlemite who works extensively in metals such as steel and bronze, as well as found materials. His current works are a mixture of figurative, organic forms, juxtaposed against modern, neo-cubic abstraction.

As part of Harlem Hospital’s historic Art Collection, Golem joins the likes of work by artists including Charles Alston, Alfred Crimi, Georgette Seabrooke, Elba Lightfoot and Vertis Hayes — suffice it to say, Golem is in good company.

Jordan grew up in a home full of vibrant artwork; the walls and hallways were lined with sculptures and prints like “Tar Beach” by Faith Ringgold, “Quilting Time” by Romare Bearden, and “Sugar Shack” by Ernie Barnes, as well as wood cuts and paintings by his mother. Taking cues from all that was around him, the young artist began to form the lens through which he would see the world, and the ways in which to share that vision. From the age of 2, Jordan began to explore his home looking for bits and pieces to mix together, take apart and reconstruct. His mother knew immediately that she needed to find a way to focus her son’s boundless curiosity, which led her to purchasing him his first package of clay. Little did she know that that one simple act would send Jordan on a lifelong journey he continues on to this day.

First creating small unidentifiable mounds, Jordan began to explore the ways in which he could express his thoughts and feelings through clay. As he progressed, he began to create characters and scenes, often posing cultural and ethical questions, and dealing with spatial relationships. At the age of 8, Jordan began selling his sculptures at his school’s annual Holiday Bazaar, The Fall Festival. Jordan was the youngest person ever to have his own booth at the event. It was at this age that Jordan began to have an active interest in contemporary art, and, when the notion of becoming an artist truly solidified in his mind. He was immediately drawn to the work of artists like Keith Haring whose simple and comic inspired hieroglyphics were a big inspiration to the budding artist as he began to explore visual language and nonverbal communication. Jordan continued to show work at The Fall Festival for the next 8 years, later expanding to include painted t-shirts and hand crafted wooden brooms called “Art Brooms” — the handles of which he carved into intricate patterns and faces.

Jordan’s mother, a staunch supporter of the arts, and an avid art collector, showed Jordan, through example, the important role that art played in life, and that the simple act of creating is something to be appreciated and celebrated; a point she made sure her son knew at every opportunity.

Through adolescence Jordan painted and drew incessantly, never seen without a sketchbook at his side, yet he always felt strongly connected to sculpture in the way that it shared the same space as the people it encountered, and thus had the ability to engage with them in ways beyond that of the two dimensional. Taking cues from dancers like Gregory Hines, Martha Graham and Gene Kelly, motion became an important element in his work at this time, creating pieces that felt as if they were static glimpses into continued moments. He became enamored with artists like Roy Lichtenstein and Claes Oldenburg, whose bold colors and references to transcultural ideas could speak volumes in an irreverent unspoken language, drawing much of their meaning from a shared cultural consciousness. From the simplification of ideas that cartoons and comic imagery facilitated, to the fluidity of the movement of the body interpreted into solid form—Jordan saw an inherent universality that he wanted to bring together in his work.

Jordan continued his journey in the Arts at Alfred University where he received his BFA in 2005. It was there that he had his first gallery exhibitions. In 2010 Jordan curated the show “Urban Pulse” at RFA Gallery in Harlem. Working closely with the iconic Paula Coleman, longtime Art Director and Curator of African and African American Art, Jordan created a vibrant show, incorporating painting, metal sculpture and collage in a way that felt distinctly of the moment. The show incorporated his own work and served as a launching pad for featured artists Justin West and Dawn Okoro. In Jordan’s 2013 follow up solo show entitled “Rare Earth,” he continued in that spirit, featuring selections from his Rare Earth series, a collection of abstract and figurative metal works inspired by the people and energy of New York.

Jordan’s current works are a mixture of figurative, organic forms, juxtaposed against modern, neo-cubic abstraction, bringing together contemporary cultural references and classical ideals of form and balance. His work addresses relationships, both spatial and interpersonal, capturing movement and energy in a visual shorthand that creates space for an emotionally alchemic experience.

This past season has been an especially busy time for the artist. After over two years of planning and production, Jordan completed a project that entailed the permanent installation of his large scale metal sculpture “Ascension” in the heart of New York City. The 9-foot piece found its home on the corner of 36th Street and 9th Avenue this August, making Jordan the first African American to have a permanent metal sculpture in Midtown Manhattan.

Ascension is a large tubular form made of weathering steel that appears to be standing on its edge. The seemingly precarious way the piece rests challenges the viewers sense of spatial awareness, creating a quiet moment of contemplation amidst the hustle and bustle of the city. The permanent installation of Ascension marks the realization of a lifelong dream for the artist.

Ascension evokes questions about gravity, structure, balance, and the human body in relation to space, and how engaging with those elements has the power to reshape perception. The original idea for Ascension came from a dream Jordan had years before involving a form that seemed to represent a sense of both stillness and the passage of time. The installation was made possible through the support of the “Hudson Yards / Hell’s Kitchen Alliance.” Jordan worked closely with Director of Planning & Marketing, Amy Fitzgerald, and Executive Director, Robert Benfatto.

Continuing in that vein, this September Jordan’s 10-foot-tall metal sculpture “Golem” found a new home at the historic Harlem Hospital. The piece is on permanent loan, residing in the Mural Pavilion at the 136th street entrance of the Hospital. Golem is a large totem-like piece that resembles an abstracted face made of colorful scraps of metal. Affectionately called “The Neighborhood Protector,” Golem pays homage to the people and history of Harlem, while embodying its current spirit of growth. Golem’s patchwork look is representative of the different cultures and peoples of the neighborhood, some of whom donated scrap metal to the piece. The elements that make up the work include parts from New York Taxis, Chinese Food woks, trucks, and vans. Golem’s addition was made possible thanks to the efforts of Harlem Hospital’s Chief of Staff, Ms. Sylvia White and artist & Director of Art and Culture at Harlem Hospital, Mr. Ronald Draper, whose work can be seen lining the entrance to the Mural Pavilion and throughout the grounds. As part of Harlem Hospital’s irreverent Art Collection, Golem joins the likes of work by artists including Charles Alston, Alfred Crimi, Georgette Seabrooke, Elba Lightfoot and Vertis Hayes. In the new year Jordan has several projects in the works, so expect to see more form this artist very soon.

But as he worked on a piece weeks later, it started to come back to him.

“After I’d finished it, I realized it came from this dream I had,” he recalled. “I didn’t know what it was exactly, but I knew that I had to make it.”

That piece was an early version of “Ascension” — a 9-foot, tubular sculpture that will be unveiled at a new canoe-shaped public plaza at West 36th Street and Ninth Avenue on Aug. 9.

For the Hell’s Kitchen resident of nearly a decade, the structure represents “upward motion, perseverance [and a] positive look toward the future.”

“That’s what I think of when I think of ‘Ascension,’” he said. “It also has a lot to do with the sense of time, the way that it’s balanced on edge.”

Baker-Caldwell crafted the sculpture at a studio in Queens, using weathering steel that develops a protective coating when it rusts.

“It gets this kind of rich, amber, brownish-reddish color that protects the piece and looks beautiful,” he explained. “It gives it a natural feel.”

Though the artist grew up in Harlem, he often visited Hell’s Kitchen with his mother — a jewelry designer who brought her wares to trade shows at the Javits Center.

Years of work went into bringing the sculpture to the neighborhood, from a Kickstarter campaign raising money to produce it to partnering with the Hudson Yards/Hell’s Kitchen Alliance to plan its installation.

“For me it’s important because this neighborhood has meant so much to me for years of my life,” Baker-Caldwell said. “This piece will hopefully be the first of many in the neighborhood.”

Its spring gala, on a misty Monday night, tried to build cachet through its younger patrons, like Waris Ahluwalia, Tyson Beckford, Karim Rashid and Mazdack Rassi, the founder of Milk Studios in the meatpacking district.

“It’s nice to be part of an institution that’s not 100 years old,” said Mr. Ahluwalia, the turban-wearing jewelry designer who cuts a dashing figure on the downtown social set.

Housed in the former Lollipop Building, the museum is devoted to “the blur zone” among art, design and craft. But it was the party itself that was blurring the line. This year’s theme, the Rare Earths Fluorescent Ball, was underwritten by Molycorp Minerals, which calls itself the Rare Earths Company, and by the Continental Mining and Metallurgical Corporation.

The 500 guests seemed nonplussed by the sponsorship. “I’m guessing it has a lot to do with our environment and how special our planet Earth is?” Tyson Beckford, the pillow-lipped male model, speculated, when asked about the rare earth connection. “I’ll have to Google that when I get home.”

He would have to wait. Despite the party’s advertised start time of 7 p.m., the museum’s nine floors were largely empty for the first several hours. The top level held an intimate dinner for the museum’s board members, while most folks drifted to the second and seventh floors, where champagne, vodka cocktails and Red Bull were served, and art pieces by emerging designers, photographers and artists were up for sale.

An early arrival was Alison Brie, the television actress ( “Mad Men,” “Community”), who eyed a piece by Tom Fruin. “I love the neon noose,” she said. “But it might send a weird message if I have it hanging in my house.”

The young designer crowd began pouring in at 9 p.m. Mr. Ahluwalia chatted with Vena Cava’s Sophie Buhai and Lisa Mayock. Bliss Lau explained her fluorescent body chains; the jewelry designer Eddie Borgo, in his trademark wide brim hat, cheek-kissed Jen Kao.

In keeping with the fluorescent theme, one duo flaunted colorful clown wigs, while another patron donned a neon pink bob, like the type you’d find on Harajuku girls. Staff members were also on hand to pass out glow-in-the-dark sticks, which were quickly fashioned into bracelets and eyeglasses.

With only two elevator banks, a small traffic jam formed on the second floor, where Paul Sevigny took over the D.J. booth, playing quirky retro tracks and crowd pleasers like Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way.”

Circling the dance floor was Mandy Coon, the fashion designer usually clad in black. “I’ve never been into neon, even when I was young,” said Ms. Coon, who wore a colorful tunic. “But who knows, after tonight, maybe I’m ready for a revival.”

The corner of 36th Street and Ninth Avenue will become the permanent home to artist Jordan Baker-Caldwell‘s nine-foot tall sculpture entitled Ascension. The large tubular form, made of weathered steel, will be installed on August 9th in partnership with Hell’s Kitchen/Hudson Yards Alliance. Sitting at an odd angle, it is meant to challenge the viewer’s sense of spatial awareness, creating a quiet moment of contemplation amidst the hustle and bustle of the city. Mr. Baker-Caldwell currently has a mixed-media sculpture entitled Golem on view in Marcus Garvey Park through August 31.

A New York native himself, Jordan will be the first African-American artist to have a permanent metal sculpture in Midtown Manhattan next month [August 2016]. In conjunction with the Hell’s Kitchen/Hudson Yards Alliance, Jordan’s nine-foot tall sculpture “Ascension” will be installed after two years of production.

In a press release, the piece is described as “a large tubular form made of weathering steel that appears to be standing on its edge. The seemingly precarious way the piece rests challenges the viewer’s sense of spatial awareness, creating a quiet moment of contemplation amidst the hustle and bustle of the city.”

Jordan Baker-Caldwell’s sculpture “Ascension” will be installed Tuesday, August 9th on the corner of 36th Street and 9th Avenue.

What is the significance of the sculptures you’ve crafted for this year’s awards?

This year I wanted to draw inspiration from the very first HFR sculpture that I made years ago; an award that embodies a sense of power and brilliance, exemplified by the Awardees inspiring achievements in the arts.

The piece itself is a combination of the figurative and the abstract; a human form blended with bold geometric shapes. The angular lines of the piece carry a sense of purposeful direction, while the sweeping curves allude to a feeling of thoughtfulness and creativity.

When and why did you begin working primarily with metals as your medium of choice?

While I work in both clay and wood, metal became my primary medium over 10 years ago. Metal has the amazing ability to transcend its own perceived limitations. It can be both strong, heavy and structural, yet appear light and wistful.

Where does your vision for your sculptures come from?
From everywhere and anywhere: from the subtle curves along the ridge of a friend’s nose, to the movement of cars along a city intersection, to the flow of a crashing wave against the shore of a beach.

I am often drawn to the human form and implied gesture or movement. My work is the lens through which I interpret the world, and I let myself be inspired by whatever comes into my field of understanding, and filter it through my art.

Jordan a rising talent in the art world was born in New York City, and raised on the eclectic streets of Harlem as his backdrop to his childhood. When Jordan was growing up back in the ’90s, Harlem was not the gentrified neighborhood it has become. However, with the changes have come new opportunities for the arts.

As an artist and metal sculptor, his work explores spatial and interpersonal relationships with shapes, curves and angles. He masterfully weaves together contemporary cultural references and classical ideals of form and balance. Jordan’s artistry combines found and fabricated objects to create an enlivened visual narrative. He is interested in capturing the essence of a moment in solid form. He creates each sculpture as a still frame from an elaborately choreographed dance.

Jordan began his journey as an artist at the age of eight. He started out drawing, and quickly moved on to creating small clay sculptures that he would exhibit at his school. Both his father a musician and his mother an award-winning jewelry designer, knew the value of the arts and encouraged his growth every step of the way. Jordan knew the path he wanted to take as an artist at a young age and as he matured his transition to working in metal felt like a natural progression.

After graduating from Alfred University with a BFA. He has worked in metal for 10 years, but also incorporates other mediums into his work such as wood and ceramics. He recently had a solo show at Renaissance Fine Art Gallery entitled “Rare Earth.” The inspiration for the show came from the people and energy of New York and centered around the creation of what he referred to as “Modern Artifacts.” His artwork for this show commemorated the present with a series of abstract forms and faces cut from sheets of steel, bronze and brass.

Jordan has been a part of many exhibitions over the years, the latest being the Flux Art Fair, an outdoor exhibition that takes place from now through June 30th in Marcus Garvey Park (Madison Avenue East 120th Steet). His piece, “Golem,” is currently on view in the park near 121st Street and Madison Avenue. Golem stands at about 10-ft in height, and resembles a large abstracted face, made of colorful pieces of scrap metal, including pieces from New York Yellow Cabs, Chinese Food Woks, trucks and vans. Its patchwork look is representative of the different cultures and people of Harlem, paying homage to the history of the neighborhood, while embodying its present spirit of growth. To make it their own, the surrounding community donated some of the scrap metal to create this special piece, which the people have affectionately nicknamed “The Neighborhood Protector.”

Jordan is currently in the final stages of an exciting project involving the creation of a 9-ft tall steel sculpture named “Ascension,” that will become a permanent outdoor installation in the heart of Midtown Manhattan this summer. Ascension is a large, tubular sculpture made of Cor-Ten steel that appears to be balancing on its edge. The piece embodies the idea of growth, and serves as a reminder to stay present and to engage with the world in a caring thoughtful manner.