2006 Arsenal Gallery Exhibits

Exhibits by Year:

November 30 - December 29, 2006

24th Annual Wreath Exhibition

Parks celebrates the onset of winter with an exhibition of nontraditional wreaths made by artists and other creative spirits. Wreaths are created from unusual materials, including barbed wire, berries, lace, bicycle tires, seahorses, fluorescent light and forged steel.

Image: Jo Walthall, Transit in the Big Apple (2005 exhibition)

Wreath from 2005 Arsenal Gallery exhibition - "Transit in the Big Apple" by Jo Walthall

September 13 - November 8, 2006

Dennis Oppenheim: Drawings and Photographs from Recent Altervative Landscape Installations

This exhibition is presented in conjunction with large-scale outdoor installations at Thomas Paine Park/ Foley Square, and inside Central Park, in front of the gallery. Alternative Landscape Components: A New Land Art debuts a radical new direction in Dennis Oppenheim's work, involving highly artificial, manmade landscapes of trees, hedges and flowers that clash with and comment on the natural landscape. Oppenheim has been a key figure in several art movements including Land Art, Conceptual Art and Body Art. This exhibition Gallery features drawings and photographs of recent installations, real and imagined.

Image: Dennis Oppenheim, Complex for Grazing, 2006.

Dennis Oppenheim, "Complex for Grazing," 2006.

July 13 - September 7, 2006

SPLASH! A 70th Anniversary Celebration of New York City's WPA Pools

In the summer of 1936, amid record-breaking heat waves and chronic unemployment in New York City, Mayor Fiorello H. LaGuardia and Parks Commissioner Robert Moses opened 11 new outdoor swimming pools in the five boroughs. Massive in size, and built mostly with funds from the Federal Works Progress Administration (WPA), the pools are among the most remarkable public recreational facilities ever built in the country. This exhibition, curated by Jonathan Kuhn, will commemorate the 70th anniversary of these pools and tell their story through the use of dynamic historic and contemporary photographs, original renderings, and rare archival film footage.

Image: Astoria Park pool in 1936; Courtesy New York City Parks Photo Archive

Find a pool near you

Astoria Park pool, 1936

June 1 - July 6, 2006

Unleashed: The Dog Runs of New York City

Frances R. Sheridan's striking black and white canine portraits from dog runs throughout the city and the book Unleashed the Dog Runs of New York City will be on display. Also included is a Community Bulletin Board with photos directly from neighborhood dog run users and volunteers.

Image: © Frances R. Sheridan

Find a dog run in a New York City park near you

Image by Frances R. Sheridan

April 20 - May 24, 2006

Garden Paradise

Contemporary artists working in a variety of media explore the idea of garden as paradise: perfect, sheltered, and lusciously beautiful botanic spaces. Sometimes there is a hint of darkness, a threat – like the snake in Eden. Or the beauty is tempered by the reality that many 21st century natural paradises are endangered areas. But the attraction of these lush, magnificent green spaces is powerful and undeniable.

Image: Gregory Crewdson, Untitled, 1994, Courtesy Luhring Augustine Gallery

"Untitled" by Gregory Crewdson, 1994

March 9 - April 12, 2006

Rare Specimen: The Natural History Museum Show

Eight contemporary artists reflect upon the Arsenal's past as the first home to the American Museum of Natural History from 1869-1877. Participating artists include Mark Dion, Alexis Rockman, Steve Mumford, Emilie Clark, Jeff Hoppa, Nicole Tschampel, Karin Weiner, Wes Lang and Walton Ford.

Image: Karin Weiner, My Precious, 2006, collage, 30 x 44 inches. Courtesy of ZieherSmith, New York

Read the press release for "Rare Specimen"

Photo of "My Precious" by Karin Weiner, 2006

February 6 - March 3, 2006

Foundations: Parks Employees Black History Month Exhibition

In celebration of Black History Month, the Arsenal Gallery presents an exhibition of artwork by Parks & Recreation employees, retirees, and senior members at recreation centers throughout the City. The exhibition features paintings, drawings, collage, quilts and fiber arts, ceramics, and photographs. The exhibition is organized by Parks & Recreation's Ebony Society Black History Committee.

Image: Quilt from Foundations exhibit

See our Monuments section "Black History Month Celebration"

Quilt from "Foundations" exhibit

January 10 - January 27, 2006

Williamsburg's Waterfront

This exhibition captures a neighborhood in a transitional moment, as massive development — including new parks — is slated for the artist enclave of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Sally Paul and John Berens, professional artists who live in the area, present paintings and photographs of the views, buildings and plant life along Williamsburg's waterfront.

Image, Top: Sally Paul, Untitled, Tempura on board

Image, Bottom: John Berens, Tour Boat, 1987, photograph

All images courtesy of the artists.

Photograph of painting by Sally Paul

Photograph by John Berens, "Tour Boat"

Related Links

History of the Arsenal