A Landmark at COTALAND
Experience a monumental 14-foot bronze sculpture by internationally recognized contemporary artist KAI—only at COTALAND.
“Perfect Hug” captures a moment everyone understands: the feeling of being seen, supported, and held close. Commissioned as a welcoming centerpiece for COTALAND, the sculpture celebrates connection, joy, and the shared experiences that bring families and friends together.
Look closely at the contrast between the monumental polished-bronze figures, their simple universal forms, and the brilliant red heart suspended beside them. The sculpture is both an artwork and a gathering place—designed to invite reflection, conversation, and a photo that becomes part of your own COTALAND story.
Hear KAI share the inspiration and process behind the sculpture—from its earliest idea to the finished work created for COTALAND. Check back weekly for the next episode in the series.
KAI develops emotionally complex ideas through sketches, material studies, sculptural experimentation, and repetition. “Perfect Hug” carries that hands-on process to monumental scale, transforming a familiar gesture into a permanent public sculpture.
Before bronze, scale, and engineering, “Perfect Hug” began as a simple drawing. The early sketch captures the emotional core that remains in the finished sculpture: two figures, one embrace, and a gesture understood without words.
KAI is a Los Angeles–based multidisciplinary artist whose practice spans sculpture, painting, bas-relief, public intervention, installation, and material experimentation. His work explores memory, love, sacrifice, ambition, environmental responsibility, and vulnerability.
Rooted in street art and public intervention, KAI expanded into monumental sculpture after years of working with cement, wood, fiberglass, and architectural installations. His 2021 bronze “Love Holds Us Together” marked a transition toward permanence and large-scale public works installed across the United States and Europe.
Find “Perfect Hug” in Perfect Hug Plaza at COTALAND. The sculpture is included with park admission and can be experienced during regular park operating hours.
Step back to take in its full 14-foot scale, then move closer to notice the polished surfaces, sculptural details, and vivid red heart.
Best photo: Frame your group beneath the sculpture with the COTALAND sign and surrounding plaza in view.
Make the sculpture part of your COTALAND story. Take a photo with the people who make life more meaningful and tag @visitCOTALAND for a chance to be featured by COTALAND.
Every family embrace, reunion, and spontaneous moment with friends adds a new story to “Perfect Hug.”