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.

Public Art Map and Guide

Find out which current exhibits are on display near you, and browse our permanent monument collection.

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Search Current and Past Exhibits

2024

Manhattan

Joan Benefiel, Hoodoos
March 27, 2023 to March 22, 2024
Finn Square, Manhattan
Map/Directions (in Google Maps)

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

Description:
Cast solid in hand-tinted translucent resin, Hoodoos is a limited edition and part of Joan Benefiel’s “Cast in Light” sculpture collection. The abstract figurative forms of this sculpture are inspired by the natural beauty of their namesake geological formations and appear to glow from within, “a metaphor for the light that is inside us all”, says the artist. With Hoodoos, she continues her practice of building engaging choreographies of light, color, and shadow, sculpting first in clay and plaster then casting in resin or bronze.

This exhibition is presented by Figuration Studio.

Ana María Hernando, To Let the Sky Know / Dejar que el cielo sepa
January 16, 2024 to March 17, 2024
Madison Square Park, Manhattan
Map/Directions (in Google Maps)

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

Description:

Ana María Hernando creates sculpture in an abundance of tulle—the sumptuous fabric netting—inspired by natural forms and transformed through the sewing process. Across the lawns in Madison Square Park, the artist has realized a series of beauteous, atmospheric clouds and a cascading waterfall that float above and alongside viewers. In response to the bleak cityscape of wintertime, she has inserted tulle sculptures of vibrant coloration and buoyancy as symbols of hope, growth, and fluidity. Her sculptures beckon with their seeming fragility and evanescence; ultimately, their durability takes hold of our memories.

This exhibition is presented by Madison Square Park Conservancy.

Yu Ji, Column-Untitled No.3
April 8, 2023 to March 1, 2024
The High Line, Manhattan
Map/Directions (in Google Maps)

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

Description:

For the High Line, Yu creates a new set of sculptures in conversation with the plants in the park’s renowned gardens. Column-Untitled No.3 comprises two twisting columns whose design reflects magnified images of the Equisetum—an over 100 million-year-old family of ferns—growing on the High Line. The column structures Yu makes are cast in concrete and soap, which will change in color and form over the 12 months of the installation in the open air, coming to life as the nearby plants transform around the sculpture.

This exhibition is presented by Friends of the High Line.

Queens

Annalisa Iadicicco, BUMPERMAN
October 25, 2024 to October 25, 2025
Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens
Map/Directions (in Google Maps)

Description:
Bumperman, a life-sized superhero sculpture made from recycled car bumpers and auto parts, stands as a powerful symbol of resilience and renewal, celebrating the redevelopment of Willets Point. Created by artist Annalisa Iadicicco, this striking figure honors the area’s vibrant history as a hub for affordable auto repairs, paying tribute to the hardworking immigrant community that defined it. Now, as Willets Point undergoes a transformation into a mixed-use community, Bumperman reminds us of its enduring spirit.

This exhibition is made possible by the Art in the Parks: Alliance for Flushing Meadows Corona Park Grant, which supports the creation of site-specific public artworks by Queens-based artists for two sites within Flushing Meadows Corona Park.

Drew Seskunas, What Is the Opposite of a Black Hole?
October 8, 2024 to October 7, 2025
Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens
Map/Directions (in Google Maps)

Description:
If a black hole absorbs all light and information surrounding it, the opposite would project light and propagate information. This sculpture celebrates the rich history of science in Queens by highlighting residents who worked to expand our understanding of the universe, casting light where before there was darkness. The artwork honors the contributions of Queens-born scientists Dr. Joseph Weinberg, Dr. Lisa Randall, Dr. Marie Maynard Daly, Dr. Eugenie Clark, Dr. Ivan R. King, and Dr. Arthur Cooper.

Chhaya Community Development Corporation, Richmond Hill Art Hub
September 15, 2024 to September 14, 2025
Lt. Frank McConnell Park, Queens
Map/Directions (in Google Maps)

Description:
A collaboration between Chhaya CDC and two NYC-based design firms, Hive Public Space and Studio For, this vibrant multi-use park installation celebrates Richmond Hill's diverse cultural heritage. It takes the form of a community stage for events, classes, and gatherings, adorned with colors inspired by neighbors' homeland flags. This installation aims to activate the space, showcase local culture, engage residents, and promote long-term preservation of cultural identity in public spaces.

This exhibition is presented by Chhaya Community Development Corporation. It is supported by the Urban Design Forum Local Center, which assembles interdisciplinary project teams that support local organizations to advance their visions for public space.

Kenny Greenberg, Lumina Arcana
July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025
Vernon Mall and Gordon Triangle, Queens
Map/Directions (in Google Maps)

Description:
Created by Long Island City-based neon light artist Kenny, each pergola of Lumina Arcana is built from wooden materials and metal railings, adorned with vibrant neon lighting. These installations are strategically placed at Vernon Mall and Gordon Triangle to transform under-lit areas into lively, inviting spaces. The project aims to boost the visibility and allure of Vernon Boulevard, especially at night, encouraging increased foot traffic and supporting local businesses along the corridor. The Long Island City Partnership was awarded a Commercial District Lighting Grant by the NYC Department of Small Business Services to address commercial district lighting improvements in the Vernon Boulevard commercial district.

This exhibition is presented by the Long Island City Partnership.

Marcus Brown, American Gold: A Ship of Human Bondage
June 19, 2024 to June 18, 2025
Queensbridge Park, Queens

Description:

American Gold: A Ship of Human Bondage is an Augmented Reality (AR) installation based on slave ships and enslaved people. The installation describes the captives as figures made of gold. American Gold aims to draw attention to the monetary value of captives and the inhumane treatment of African captives. American Gold makes the slave ship an almost invisible structure that floats above the viewer, giving the viewer a glimpse of how many people were squeezed into a slaving vessel from below. The installation is part of a larger series of art installations about slavery called Slavery Trails, placed at historical sites throughout the United States.

Leonard Ursachi, Peace Like a River
October 25, 2024 to April 26, 2025
Hunter's Point South, Queens
Map/Directions (in Google Maps)

Description:
Peace Like a River is an installation of sculptures, identical except for their colors. Each is cast in concrete from a mold Ursachi made from a large piece of driftwood he salvaged from the East River, steps from his DUMBO studio and downstream from Hunter’s Point South Park.

This exhibition is made possible by the FPI Art Initiative.

Queens Lighting Collective, Gateways to Sunnyside
August 9, 2024 to December 2, 2024
Sabba Park, Queens
Map/Directions (in Google Maps)

Description:
Gateway to Sunnyside greets visitors with joy as they enter or exit the Sunnyside neighborhood. It was designed and created in collaboration with the Sunnyside community for the Sunnyside Public Space Project under the Urban Design Forum’s Local Center Connected Corridors program. The goal of the project is to make public spaces in Sunnyside more welcoming and accessible for local residents and merchants while also cultivating local ownership and pride among Sunnyside residents and merchants for their public spaces, while galvanizing support for capital improvements in the area. This exhibition is presented by Sunnyside Shines.