30-foot surrealist steel sculptures arrive in two Manhattan neighborhoods
Chasing Rainbows, 2026, by Charlotte Colbert. Artwork © Charlotte Colbert, 2025. Photo © Timothy Schenck. Curated by New Public
Two massive steel sculptures debuted Tuesday in Flatiron and the Meatpacking District, bringing surrealism into dialogue with the skyscrapers of Manhattan. Created by New York-born artist and filmmaker Charlotte Colbert, “Chasing Rainbows” features two 30-foot-tall surrealist sculptures in the bustling Flatiron South Plaza and 14th Street Square, inviting passersby to reconnect with their imagination in public spaces. On view through May 27, the installation marks Colbert’s first U.S. public art installation and represents the city’s first dual-neighborhood public art collaboration.
Inspired by archetypal symbols, fairy tales, and the “language of the unconscious,” the installation aims to evoke “moments of pause” and “personal connection,” while sparking conversations among strangers, Colbert said.
Located at 14th Street Square in the Meatpacking District, “Where Angels Live” is a towering, reflective tree decorated with “votive-like” charms, drawing inspiration from relics, charms, amulets, and talismans; objects imbued with significance through collective belief. The sculpture serves as a shrine, honoring and preserving what people keep unseen, remember, and carry forward.
“The Meatpacking District has long been shaped by transformation and by the communities who call it home. Where Angels Live reflects that evolution—honoring what’s been carried forward while creating space for new meaning,” Jeffrey LeFrancois, executive director of the Meatpacking District, said.
“This project underscores our shared commitment, alongside Flatiron NoMad and NYC DOT, to public art that is inclusive, thought-provoking, and deeply rooted in place.”
Situated at Flatiron South Plaza, “Dreamland Sirens” features a single, watchful dual-colored eye perched atop a column of tears. The piece references dreaming and manifestation as a collective force, while the sculpture’s ancient symbolism mirrors the surrounding cityscape, “bridging inner vision” and public space next to the Flatiron Building.
“‘Dreamland Sirens’ invites people to see and experience our public spaces through a brand-new eye,” James Mettham, president of the Flatiron NoMad Partnership, said.
“By placing Charlotte Colbert’s larger-than-life artwork in this iconic Flatiron location, we’re creating an unmissable moment that makes New Yorkers and visitors pause, look up, and interact with art in the flow of daily life. Installations like these show how thoughtfully placed public art and collaborative partnerships can connect communities across the city.”
Colbert’s U.S. debut is the latest achievement in her internationally renowned, multidisciplinary practice. The artist and filmmaker has exhibited at institutions including the Victoria and Albert Museum and Montpellier Contemporain. Her directorial screen debut, 2021’s “She Will,” won the Golden Leopard for Best First Feature at the Locarno Film Festival and was named a New York Times Critic’s Choice.
Her work explores strong philosophical themes, delving into narrative, time, identity, dreams, and the unconscious. Using surreal and fantastical imagery, Colbert invites viewers to see the world in new ways, creating space to question and reimagine reality.
The installation represents the first-ever collaboration between two busy Manhattan neighborhoods: the Meatpacking District and Flatiron NoMad. It is curated by the public art agency New Public, the Department of Transportation, the Meatpacking District Management Association, the Flatiron NoMad Partnership, and renowned art figure Simon de Pury.
“Installing Charlotte’s 30-foot tall sculptures across these sites is not about spectacle,” said Lorna-Rose Simpson and Rachael McNabb, co-founders of New Public, said.
“Being Women’s History Month, it’s a deliberate act of re-inscription, integrating monumental symbolic forms created by a female artist and realized by a women-led curatorial agency, into spaces long shaped by male narratives of power. The project asks not only how our cities evolve, but who gets to define their symbolic language.”
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