Art in the Parks

The Hanging Gardens of Brooklyn is a traveling art installation that serves as a creative commons for artistic expression, public well-being, and collective stewardship. The work features a trellised canopy of edible and native plants, as well as a solar-powered lighting and audio system to support public programming hosted within and around the artwork. Throughout the summer and fall until the end of October, The Hanging Gardens of Brooklyn will serve as a publicly accessible venue for the local community, hosting activations including performances, workshops, and wellness offerings. More information on related programming can be found here.

This site-specific mural by artist Yukiko Izumi was made in collaboration with volunteers of Apex for Youth, a non-profit organization serving low-income and immigrant Asian youth. The artists worked with the volunteers to identify their favorite things about the park which viewers will find depicted in this mural.

This exhibition is presented by Apex for Youth.

Stretching across the entirety of Lenox Academy's basketball court, this mural captures the essence of courage, love, and valor through a dynamic portrayal of two iconic figures, Lover Boy and Lenox Academy Mascot. At the top stands Lover Boy, a beloved character known for his unwavering compassion and empathy is the King of Hearts. Opposite stands the Fox King, representing the indomitable spirit of Lenox Academy's mascot. The Fox King exudes confidence and determination, urging students to channel their inner strength and tenacity on the court. Despite their differences, the King of Hearts and the Fox King share a profound connection, symbolizing the unity of love and courage in the pursuit of victory. Our hope is as students step onto the royal court, they are enveloped by the mural's powerful message: to be brave, loving, and valiant in both sport and life.

This exhibition is presented by Project Backboard and the NYC Department of Education.

Designed and painted by the students, art teachers, and parents of PS 198 and PS 77, this mural features a colorful collection of flowers, leaves, and pollinators in a bright, bold whimsical style. This mural was made possible with the generous support of New York City Councilmember Julie Menin, Partnership for Parks, the Hellgate Hill Community Association, the PS 198 and PS 77 parent teacher associations, and the local community.

This exhibition features nine monumental, resin sculptures by French sculptor Michel Bassompierre, depicting peaceful animals who seem to be caught in the intimacy of their lives. Favouring animals with round shapes, Asian elephants, gorillas, bears or even horses, Bassompierre achieves a form that is both soft and precise, where light never clashes with shadow.

This exhibition is presented by Galeries Bartoux, Patrons of Park Avenue, and the Murray Hill Neighborhood Association.

This mural was created by Pelumi Adegawa and features the gray catbird and native sunflower, milkweed, lobelia, and wild strawberry. As part of the Audubon Mural Project, a public-art initiative drawing attention to birds that are vulnerable to extinction from climate change, NYC Parks GreenThumb partnered with National Audubon Society,  Gitler &_____ Gallery, and local artists to design murals on sheds at GreenThumb community gardens across New York City. Through a collaborative process between the partners, artist, and community garden group, each mural was designed to feature climate-threatened birds that rely on green spaces like these urban gardens and native plants that birds depend on for food and shelter.

Portals of Remembrance features three new monuments in augmented reality (AR) created by renowned contemporary artists. This exhibition honors and illuminates the stories of underrepresented figures within the HIV/AIDS movement through three virtual monuments created by celebrated artists, Derek Fordjour, Jacolby Satterwhite, Tourmaline, and Egyptt LaBeija, reimagining the New York City AIDS Memorial as a dynamic site of memory and empowerment.

Derek Fordjour’s Cellular Chaser draws inspiration from his acclaimed Black jockey series, using the imagery of the jockey and horse to explore themes of hypervisibility, death, disappearance, and stalled progress. Expanding on the themes from Tourmaline’s short film Atlantic is a Sea of Bones and Egyptt LaBeija’s enduring legacy, their work creates an experience that is both a tribute and a testament to personal and collective histories of Black queer and trans resilience. Jacolby Satterwhite’s You Make Me Feel Mighty Real is a tribute to Sylvester, the trailblazer who revolutionized mainstream music with unapologetic, Black, queer humanity and jubilance.

This exhibition is presented by the NYC AIDS Memorial and Kinfolk.