The Swiss-born artist best known on these shores for his rainbow colored "Hell, Yes!" sign gracing the New Museum facade (RIP) has made another inlet into the New York streetscape: he just bought the defunct church at 2050 Fifth Avenue. Ugo Rondinone paid $2.775 million in cash for the property, which he plans to turn into a cultural community space. A rep from Eastern Consolidated, the listing agent, says there are plans for "a complete restoration of the 15,500-square-foot space," and 80 potential buyers—other churches, synagogues, and commercial parties—checked out the space. This is all well and good, but we really want to know is whether a certain piece of rainbow text will be affixed to the stone facade. Hell yes?
· Heavens Yes! Ugo Rondinone Buys Harlem Church [New York Observer]
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