Between the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping and children being home for winter break, it’s a good idea to get outside and do something new for a change on a fair weather day. Although many outdoor activities are restricted because of cold winter temperatures, there are some great artsy gems through out the city to check out in between finding warm relief indoors. Many places set up temporary outdoor art displays that can be enjoyed by adults and children alike. Here are some of my favorite art installations to keep an eye out for this winter and early spring.
1. Saint Clair Cemin on Broadway by Saint Clair Cemin
Now through January 25, 2013
West 57th Street to West 157th Street
Take the children on a winter walk up or down Broadway for a 100-block span (or just a portion of it!) and explore 6 sculptures by the artist Saint Clair Cemin. There is a giant 40-foot tall mirrored stainless steel spiral tower called Vortex that reflects the city and rises to the sky. There are also 5 other sculptures made of marble, copper and metal: The Four, 1997, In the Center, 2002, Portrait of the Word Why, 2008, Aphrodite, 2006, The Wind, 2002.
2. Buckyball by Leo Villareal
Now through February 1, 2013
Madison Square Park, Manhattan
I love this piece! It has childlike whimsy and space-age techno aura. It plays with our senses and delights our fantasy. It even glows in the dark. But it’s also a complex arrangement of two geodesic globes composed of 180 LED tubes arranged in a series of pentagons and hexagons. Buckyball will not only be lit throughout its installation but will actually emit 16 million different colors. The artist has created special software that controls this display creating random compositions in their color, speed, and opacity. It’s an amazing installation that is well worth the visit.
3. Fir Tree by Monika Sosnowska
Now through February 17, 2013
Central Park, Manhattan, at 60th Street
I always look forward to the next installation at this outdoor space and presently the new sculptural piece is called The Fir Tree by the Polish artist Monika Sosnowska. It is a sculpture created out of an actual spiral steel staircase that the artist has twisted and turned to resemble an evergreen tree. As it stands on the threshold between the city and Central Park, it also serves as a welcoming host or a guardian figure to preserve the sanctity of nature.
4. Lilliput by various international artists
Now through April 14, 2013
The High Line, Manhattan
Take your children on a Gulliver’s Island meets Manhattan scavenger hunt through out the High Line this spring. Visitors scope through vegetation and tracks to try to spot tiny figures and statues hidden around the walk.
5. Brooklyn Bridge by El Anatsui
Now through Spring 2013
The High Line, Manhattan
A favorite contemporary artist, El Anatsui is a Nigerian artist who creates tapestry-like works made of recycled liquor bottle caps. Now he has his first U.S. outdoor installation with a draped work composed of mirrors and pressed tin. Imagine a gigantic hanging piece that reflects the city and its surroundings.
Natasha Schlesinger is an NYC mother of three. She is the founder of Artmuse, which offers interactive art tours to both kids and adults, and the co-founder of ArtXplorers, a multimedia arts website for kids.
