Public Art

March 21, 2024

Tender photographs capturing queer Black experience on view at NYC bus stops

New York City-based photographer Clifford Prince King shares a deeply personal glimpse into his life in his first-ever public art exhibition. Presented by the Public Art Fund, “Let me know when you get home,” features 13 new photographs King captured during his travels in the summer of 2023, providing an intimate look into the artist’s sources of "comfort, companionship, and love." The exhibition is currently on view through May 26 at 300 bus shelters and 30 newsstands across New York City, Chicago, and Boston.
discover more
March 18, 2024

William Kentridge’s video animation of historical figures on view at Moynihan Train Hall

A cast of historical figures is watching travelers as they bustle through the waiting area of Moynihan Train Hall. Created by South African artist William Kentridge, "We Will Make Shoes from the Sky" is a multi-panel video animation featuring characters based on famous people from history, including several Black leaders like James Baldwin, Josephine Baker, and Aimé and Suzanne Césaire. The installation is currently on view on the digital screens in the main waiting area of Moynihan Train Hall.
discover more
February 1, 2024

Play with giant light-up dominos in the Financial District

A new interactive public art installation in the Financial District is injecting vibrant color and sound into New York City's dreary winter. Created by Montreal-based design studio Ingrid Ingrid, "Domino Effect" features 120 giant dominos scattered across 12 tables in Fosun Plaza, with each domino giving off a unique sound and color. Presented by the Downtown Alliance in partnership with Quartier des Spectacles International, the installation is on view at Fosun Plaza in front of 28 Liberty Street through March 6.
get the details
January 29, 2024

Rico Gatson’s colorful geometric art brings sense of peace to Penn Station

Penn Station's Amtrak concourse has been transformed with colorful geometric designs. Created by New York City-based artist Rico Gatson, the installation "Untitled (Collective Light Transfer)" covers the Amtrak concourse at New York Penn Station with captivating geometric compositions that fill the otherwise bland space with a "pulsating energy," representing the rhythm of constant movement as travelers bustle through the station. The art installation will be on view in the upper-level rotunda between the 8th Avenue Amtrak departure concourse and the 7th Avenue NJ Transit concourse through the summer.
see more
January 18, 2024

Colorful tulle sculptures in Madison Square Park brighten the winter cityscape

New vibrant sculptures made of tulle are adding brightness to the city's bleak winter landscape. On display in Madison Square Park through March, artist Ana María Hernando's exhibition, titled "To Let the Sky Know/Dejar que el cielo sepa," includes a series of large-scale atmospheric clouds and one cascading waterfall, all made of flowing, colorful tulle. The exhibition marks the 20th anniversary of the Madison Square Park Conservancy's public art program.
see more
October 18, 2023

Sewer alligator sculpture in Union Square channels century-old New York City myth

A new sculpture in Union Square Park plays on the century-old myth that alligators live in New York City's sewer system. Created by Swedish artist Alexander Klingspor in collaboration with Mollbrinks Gallery, "NYC Legend" is a bronze sculpture depicting a life-sized alligator sitting atop a manhole cover. The artwork is inspired by an urban legend that originated 100 years ago claiming New Yorkers set pet baby alligators loose in the sewers after they grew too large to handle. The installation is on display through June 2024.
learn more
October 12, 2023

Three major public art installations explore sustainability, social justice as part of NYC’s annual Design Pavilion

Three new massive public art installations have been unveiled in Manhattan as part of NYCxDESIGN's annual public design exhibition Design Pavilion and the monthlong Archtober festival. The three thought-provoking artworks center around themes of social justice and sustainability. The installations, on view at One World Trade Center and Gansevoort Plaza, are open and free to the public through October 18.
details this way
October 5, 2023

Explore public art across the NYC subway system with this new digital guide

Some of New York City's best art can be found underground. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority Arts & Design this week launched a new digital guide featuring more than 400 permanent artworks located across the subway system and commuter rails. Found on the Bloomberg Connects app, the guide allows travelers to explore the extensive collection, including permanent art, like Roy Lichtenstein's mural at Times Square, William Wegman‘s famous Weimaraners mosaic at 23rd Street, Yoko Ono-designed artwork at 72nd Street, and Yayoi Kusama's work in Grand Central Madison.
explore art, underground
September 8, 2023

Fred Eversley’s first public artwork in NYC explores new dimensions in Central Park

A new art installation in Central Park invites New Yorkers to perceive the environment, others, and themselves through the lens of artist Fred Eversley. Titled "Parabolic Light," Eversley's first-ever public artwork in New York City is a 12-foot-tall sculpture made of polyurethane that prompts viewers to question the way visual and physical perceptions influence connections to the world around us. The sculpture is on view in Central Park's Doris C. Freedman Plaza through August 25, 2024.
more on the captivating sculpture here
June 7, 2023

A public art installation in Lower Manhattan reimagines Earth using plastic waste

A timely new public art installation in Lower Manhattan depicts the devastating impact of pollution on Earth. Created by Israeli artist Beverly Barkat, "Earth Poetica" uses a mixture of plastic materials collected from the world's oceans, waterways, and forests to create a globe that appears beautiful on the outside but is in fact just trash on the inside. Located in the lobby of 3 World Trade Center, the 13-foot-tall sculpture is made up of 180 colorful panels and highlights areas of the world suffering from increasing plastic pollution.
See the artwork
May 18, 2023

In reference to U.S. border wall, new Brooklyn sculpture explores relationship with land

A new public art installation in Brooklyn questions how colonization and its impact on migration affect our relationship with land. Created by indigenous Alaskan artist Nicholas Galanin, In every language there is Land / En cada lengua hay una Tierra is a 30-foot-tall steel sculpture made of the same materials as the United States-Mexico border wall that spells out the word "LAND." The sculpture will be on view in Brooklyn Bridge Park on the north side of the Empire Fulton Ferry Lawn through the fall.
Find out more
March 17, 2023

NYC looks to ‘beautify’ 191st Street tunnel again

Two months after painting the mural- and graffiti-covered 191st Street pedestrian tunnel white, New York City announced plans to "beautify" the underground path once again. The Department of Transportation on Thursday issued a request for proposals seeking artists to submit "bold, colorful designs" for the tunnel that reflect the "rich cultural identity of Washington Heights." The request comes after community members criticized the agency for "whitewashing" an iconic piece of the neighborhood, as Gothamist reported.
Details here
March 3, 2023

New public artwork turns a Downtown Brooklyn plaza into a playful, colorful oasis

A new interactive public art installation in Downtown Brooklyn transforms a plaza into a colorful oasis with shimmering lights. The Downtown Brooklyn Partnership and Van Alen Institute on Wednesday unveiled "COMMON GROUND," a site-specific sculpture created by artist Cheryl Wing-Zi Wong with lighting design by Arup featuring colorful seating, sound-responsive lighting, and floor motifs that provide a vibrant space for people to gather. The installation will be on view from March 1 to May 1 at The Plaza at 300 Ashland.
Get the details
February 16, 2023

See the Garment District’s new Big Button sculpture

The Garment District's iconic button & needle sculpture has been replaced with a new, permanent art installation. The Garment District Alliance on Thursday unveiled the new Big Button sculpture on the corner of Fashion Avenue and 39th Street. Designed by Local Projects and UAP Company, the sculpture measures 28 feet tall and has a 15-foot diameter aluminum button with a bright yellow automotive finish and a 32-foot brushed stainless steel needle, honoring the neighborhood's rich history in the world of fashion.
See the button
February 16, 2023

A mini version of NYC’s Hippo Ballerina sculpture is now in Turtle Bay

A smaller version of New York City's Hippo Ballerina sculpture debuted this week in Turtle Bay. Created by Danish artist Bjørn Okholm Skaarup, Hippo Ballerina is a 15-foot-tall sculpture that has been seen over the years in front of Grand Central Terminal, the Flatiron Building, and Lincoln Center. The new mini sculpture, along with Hippo Ballerina, pirouette and Rhino Harlequin, pirouette, can now be found in front of the skyscraper at 885 Second Avenue in Midtown through March 2024.
See more here
January 27, 2023

New 34th Street station entrance features mosaic depicting clock from old Penn Station

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Thursday unveiled new accessibility improvements at Penn Station. In addition to four newly modernized elevators, the new, fully accessible entrance at 7th Avenue and 33rd Street features artwork by Diana Al-Hadid. Measuring nearly 15 feet tall, the glass mosaic, called The Time Telling, was inspired by a photograph of the clock that hung at the entrance of the old Penn Station.
Learn more here
December 7, 2022

New sculpture of Biggie Smalls unveiled at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge in Dumbo

A new sculpture of the "King of New York" now greets visitors entering Brooklyn. The Dumbo Improvement District and the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership on Tuesday unveiled a 9-foot-tall bronze structure depicting hip-hop legend Christopher "The Notorious B.I.G." Wallace at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge in Dumbo. Created by artist Sherwin Banfield, the structure, titled "Sky's the Limit in the County of Kings," is dedicated to the "art, life, and legacy" of Wallace, who died 25 years ago.
See more here
October 11, 2022

The Garment District’s iconic button & needle kiosk will be redesigned

The iconic button and needle sculpture and information kiosk that has sat on a Garment District corner since the 1970s is getting a makeover. Located on Seventh Avenue and 39th Street, the new permanent art installation will be 28 feet tall and include a 15-foot diameter aluminum button and a 32-foot brushed stainless steel needle, according to the Garment District Alliance. The sculpture, which will replace the now-vacant kiosk, is set to be completed in December.
See more here
October 4, 2022

Brooklyn art installation turns old emergency call boxes into memorials for victims of police brutality

A new public art installation in Downtown Brooklyn aims to bring attention to the fight against racism, violence, and the abuse of power within the criminal justice system. Created by artist Bradley McCallum, Witnessing transforms emergency call boxes once found on city sidewalks into memorials for victims and survivors of police brutality. McCallum's work will be on display in The Plaza at 300 Ashland through January 2023.
See more here
September 15, 2022

‘Little Amal’ arrives in New York City, bringing attention to world’s refugees

Little Amal, a 12-foot puppet of a 10-year-old Syrian refugee, has come to New York City to bring attention to the needs of migrants and refugees. After landing at JFK Airport with her big green suitcase on Wednesday, Amal began her 17-day tour across all five boroughs in which she will take part in 55 unique events, considered one of the largest public art festivals in the city's history.
See more here
August 31, 2022

NYC is looking for volunteer artists to paint its garbage trucks

New York City's Department of Sanitation (DSNY) is looking for volunteer artists to paint murals on their garbage collection vehicles as part of "Trucks of Art," the department's new zero-waste challenge. Artwork that encourages New Yorkers to use litter baskets or that honors DSNY workers will have a higher chance of being selected. The department is accepting applications until September 18, and the trucks are expected to hit the road by October.
See more here
August 25, 2022

The Armory Show unveils large-scale sculpture installation at the US Open

An art installation of large-scale outdoor sculptures opened this week outside of the US Open tennis tournament in Queens. Created in partnership between The Armory Show and the United States Tennis Association, Armory Off-Site at the US Open includes sculptures by contemporary artists from underrepresented backgrounds. The artworks will be on display outside of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center from August 23 through September 11, coinciding with the tournament and the Armory Show's art fair at the Javits Center.
See the sculptures
August 23, 2022

Colorful paintings by artist Wendy Red Star on display at 100 bus shelters across NYC

Artist Wendy Red Star's first-ever public art exhibition was unveiled in New York City this month. Curated by the Public Art Fund, "Wendy Red Star: Travels Pretty" is based on 12 paintings by Red Star inspired by "parfleches," vibrantly painted rawhide bags created by certain nomadic tribes of the Great Plains. Used to store and transport food and other items, the handpainted containers were typically made by women and designed to compel "means of both self and tribal expression for those who created them," according to a press release. Reimagined on 100 bus shelters across New York City, Red Star's paintings celebrate parfleches and bring to light the history and importance of their use.
See more here
August 8, 2022

Hudson Valley’s Storm King Art Center unveils $45M redesign

The Storm King Art Center in the Hudson Valley will undergo a $45 million revamp this fall to enhance the visitor experience and better serve its growing community, the 500-acre outdoor museum announced last week. As first reported by The Art Newspaper, the project includes a new welcome area, improved parking and accessibility, and a new facility to support grand-scale works. Construction will begin later this year and the redesign is expected to be completed in 2024.
Get the details
July 7, 2022

In Brooklyn, Fred Wilson’s first large-scale public sculpture examines concept of freedom

Bronx-born conceptual artist Fred Wilson last week unveiled his first-ever large-scale public sculpture. Located within Columbus Park in Downtown Brooklyn, Mind Forged Manacles/Manacle Forged Minds features the use of ornamental gates, fences, and 10-foot-tall statues of African figures as metaphors for systematic racism and "acts in conversation" with the neighborhood's nearby landmarks and buildings. Presented by More Art, Wilson's sculpture is on display through June 2023.
See more here