LOS ANGELES, CA.- Internationally acclaimed artist and sculptor Michael Kalish unveiled reALIze, a new conceptual and thought-provoking monument to honor the legacy of Muhammad Ali. The massive, one-of-a-kind installation made its worldwide debut at Nokia Plaza L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles in March and remains on display until April 9, 2011.

reALIze is the result of a three-year creative journey that began when Lonnie Ali, and her husband Muhammad, watched a television segment about Kalish’s pop-art license plate style. Intrigued by his work, Mrs. Ali reached out to Kalish, which led to the artist creating a piece for the Ali family. That first sculpture led to a lasting relationship between Kalish and the Alis and ultimately inspired reALIze, an installation created to be as mythical as the boxer himself.

Conceptualized by Michael Kalish and designed by Kalish and architectural firm Oyler Wu Collaborative, reALIze’s effect is enormous. The sculpture is a 360-degree – nearly three-story high – structure made from five-miles of stainless steel cable and 1300 boxing speed bags. Viewed from nearly every angle, the result appears to be a massive, boxing-inspired rainstorm – but from just the right position, it becomes a strikingly photorealistic vision of Muhammad Ali’s profile.

“I love turning ordinary objects into extraordinary works of art,” said Kalish. “This is an opportunity of a lifetime and I’m honored I could create this monument to pay homage to such an incredible man.”

“We are honored to have been asked to be the very first location to exhibit this one-of-a-kind tribute to one of the world’s most iconic figures,” said Scott Hanley, Vice President, Events, AEG.” Nokia Plaza L.A. LIVE will provide the perfect backdrop for the public to experience this incredible and most unique work of art.”

It will be on display around the country, with locations to be announced in the future. The artwork is part of an agreement signed between Kalish and Muhammad Ali Enterprises LLC, which oversees all licensing deals involving Ali.

Michael Kalish is an internationally acclaimed artist and sculptor who has a natural ability to transform ordinary objects into extraordinary works of art. The subjects of Kalish’s work reference a broad sampling of American culture, from the all-American pastime of baseball and the morning cup of Java to portraits of popular, political and cultural icons. His signature medium, the license plate, embraces his ideal of Americana with his own contemporary sophistication, curiosity and distinctive style. Many of his unique sculptures have found permanent parking spots in a number of Hollywood homes. Over the past 15 years, Kalish has garnered national and international press exposure as well as solo shows and representation in galleries around the world. He has been the feature of stories in publications from the NY Times and People to Art in America and USA Today, as well as TV appearances on CBS Sunday Morning and CNN’s “To the Top.” reALIze marks an entrance into a new medium of work for Kalish, publicly installed monuments.