Jaume Plensa (born 1955) is a renowned Spanish artist and sculptor known for his large-scale public installations and intimate works on paper. Born in Barcelona, he studied at the Llotja School of Art and Design and the Reial Acadèmia Catalana de Belles Arts de Sant Jordi. Since his first solo exhibition in 1980, Plensa has moved through various materials—including iron, bronze, copper, glass, and light—to explore themes of spirituality, the human body, and the universal connection between individuals. His work often utilizes language and the alphabet as a physical texture, constructing human forms out of stainless steel letters or musical notes to suggest that culture and communication are the building blocks of the self.

Plensa’s most recognizable contribution to contemporary art is his monumental public sculpture, which often invites viewer interaction. He gained international acclaim for the Crown Fountain in Chicago’s Millennium Park (2004), a dual-tower installation that displays digital portraits of local residents while projecting water from their mouths. Other significant works include the Echo sculpture in Seattle and various "head" sculptures, such as Dream in St. Helens, UK, which feature elongated, serene faces with closed eyes, intended to evoke a sense of meditation and shared silence within the urban environment.

Throughout his career, Plensa has received numerous accolades, including the Velázquez Prize for Plastic Arts and a knighthood from the French Ministry of Culture. While his larger-than-life figures are his most public-facing works, his practice remains rooted in the relationship between the physical and the ethereal. By placing his art in public plazas and parks rather than exclusively in museums, Plensa seeks to democratize the aesthetic experience, turning communal spaces into areas for reflection and dialogue.