Large-format sculpture is not only awe-inducing but very often, public-facing or at least easily accessible, which adds to the appeal. From massive museum installations to the wild and weird art of Burning Man to the works that top London’s Fourth Plinth to New York’s High Line artworks that come and go, massive sculpture can transform an environment. A mammoth sculpture, well-chosen for the space it’s in, inspires conversations and boosts community engagement. It can be a beacon of hope, as with Fritz Koenig’s The Sphere, which was the only artwork to survive the September 11 attacks. Or it can be fun or disturbing to look at—Claes Oldenburg’s colossal takes on everyday objects are often both—even as it obfuscates some deeper meaning. “I wanted to make monumental sculpture a combination of philosophy, endurance and raw physical presence,” wrote sculptor David Breuer-Weil of his work Emergence in London. “I did not just want to decorate a piazza; I wanted........

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