Art in the Parks

Through collaborations with a diverse group of arts organizations and artists, Parks brings to the public both experimental and traditional art in many park locations. Please browse our list of current exhibits and our archives of past exhibits below. You can also see past grant opportunities or read more about the Art in the Parks Program.

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Dianne Smith, The Couple, courtesy of the West Harlem Art Fund

Dianne Smith, Organic Abstracts

March 7, 2013 to April 15, 2013
Bartow Pell Mansion
Pelham Bay Park, Bronx

Please note: This is a past exhibit that is no longer installed in the park.

Description:

The West Harlem Art Fund and Bartow Pell present two works by artist Dianne Smith on the grounds of this historic house. The Couple is two androgynous heads approximately twenty feet wide and ten feet tall. The heads rest on one another and are made from everyday discarded materials such as, packaging, paper, cans, fabric and magazines, bound together with string and rope. The Couple represents the idea of the environment, community and family respect. The concept of heads resting on one another, plays on the old adages “two heads are better than one” and “it takes a village.” They symbolize the idea that we all need each other and the environment to live harmonious and balanced lives.

Flying High is a site specific installation constructed out of brown butcher paper. The varnished paper, hanging between two trees, is crunched, crumpled, rolled, twisted, interlocked, woven and manipulated. For Smith butcher paper is a metaphor for the treatment of people in developing countries, as well as consumption in the global market. People use butcher paper for many everyday activities and throw it away once they are done with it. Some of its uses include wrapping meat, crafting, and packing shipped.

This project is presented by the West Harlem Art Fund and Bartow Pell Mansion.