Click for more images
Throughout New York City, there are many parks and sites that showcase experimental and traditional art, many of which are free. The works range from street art to towering sculptures. Here are the top five outdoor art exhibits to see this spring.
Alice Aycock, “Park Avenue Paper Chase”
“Park Avenue Paper Chase” is a series of seven sculptures by Alice Aycock that opened on March 8. The different sculptures are installed between 52nd and 57th streets, with the final piece located on 66th Street in front of the Park Avenue Armory. Despite being made of aluminum and fiberglass, the large pieces look as if they are twirled and twisted from paper, creating the illusion that they are ready to take off at the slightest gust of wind. Some of the pieces are continuous with the pieces beside them, while others are stand-alone sculptures. (Park Avenue Malls.)
Katharina Grosse, “Just Two of Us”
Katharina Grosse’s abstract piece “Just Two of Us” features 18 large, irregularly shaped sculptures. They are strategically placed between the trees at the MetroTech Center. The sculptures are painted with bright, neon colors that blend into one another in a technicolor fusion. (MetroTech Center between Jay Street and Flatbush Avenue at Myrtle Avenue.)
Ana Tzarev, “Love & Peace”
The “Love & Peace” campaign by painter Ana Tzarev is inspired by her belief that love, art and flowers speak a universal language that can be understood and appreciated by everyone. Before making its way to the Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, “Love & Peace” was installed in cities such as London, Rome, Shenzhen, Singapore and Prague. This sculpture, a large red poppy made from fiberglass, has traveled throughout the world to exhibit the beauty that connects us all. (Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, 47th Street between First and Second avenues.)
Eduardo Kobra, Kobra
Eduardo Kobra’s mural transforms the iconic black and white photo of a spontaneous kiss on Victory Day in Times Square into a kaleidoscope of color. The photo retains hints of black and white originality against a backdrop of rainbow beams. The mural is painted on to the side of a building and can best be seen from the High Line. (High Line, 25th Street and 10th Avenue.)
Olaf Breuning’s Clouds
One of the largest public art installations in the country, Olaf Breuning’s “Clouds” opened in Central Park on March 4. The installation blends reality with whimsy by displaying six clouds, in various shades of blue. The clouds, which are designed to look like the childlike doodles found in notebook margins, soar 35 feet above the park, supported by steel beams. (Doris C. Freedman Plaza, Central Park.)
A version of this article appeared in the Monday, March 31 print edition. Caroline Aghajanian is a contributing writer. Email her at [email protected].