"First Sun" by Monira Al Qadiri

While still adjusting to the weekend’s time change and in search of as much sunlight as we can gather, we wandered through New York’s Central Park in search of “First Sun”, a stunning aluminum sculpture by Senegalese artist Monira Al Qadiri. Positioned at the park’s southeast corner, the piece greets visitors with a mesmerizing play of color and light.

“First Sun” reimagines Khepri, the ancient Egyptian god of the rising sun, denoted by the deity’s scarab face, cast in shimmering purples and blues that shift with the sunlight. The sculpture’s reflective surface and ever-changing hues engage the viewer in a dynamic dialogue with the piece and the natural world  which surrounds it.

Al Qadiri’s choice of location is extremely intentional. The sculpture serves as a symbolic gateway to one of New York’s most beloved green spaces, encouraging visitors to reflect on the transition from the stylized cityscape to the wild of the park. “First Sun” invites us to pause, reconnect with nature, and appreciate the balance between humans and the humble creatures that share our world.

Happy Halloween!

The spooky season has arrived, and as we prepare for a night of tricks and treats we’re excited to share some of the impressive Halloween decorations we’ve spotted this October. Our festive adventures took us from New York City to Miami, East Hampton, and Washington D.C., where we discovered everything from haunted stoops and glowing ghosts to intricately carved pumpkins that truly capture the Halloween spirit.

Across every neighborhood, with porches adorned with pumpkins, cobwebs, spectacular skeletal animatronics, and plenty of spooky surprises. It’s been a delight to see how communities have embraced the holiday with such enthusiasm and imagination.

Wishing everyone a safe and spectacular Halloween night filled with candy, costumes, and a few fun scares. We will see you in November when we return to our regularly scheduled program of public art!

“Speaking Willow” by Rafael Lozano-Hemmer

Being kept out of most attractions in DC due to the ongoing government shutdown, we were welcomed  at Planet Word Museum by Mexican-Canadian electronic artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer’s interactive sculpture “Speaking Willow” which celebrates the world’s vast linguistic diversity. Lozano-Hemmer captures the grace and resiliency of the willow tree, qualities that beautifully mirror the way languages evolve and intertwine through this auditory marvel. As visitors stroll beneath the tree’s sweeping branches, they trigger the 365 small, bell-shaped speakers that hang from above into conversations. Each speaker plays a recording in a different language, together representing the voices of more than 99% of the world’s population. Strolling around “Speaking Willow”  is like listening to beautiful symphony, reminding us that while language roots us in our own communities, it also connects us to countless others through the shared rhythm of human expression.

If you visit, you may also want to stop for a bite at the Museum’s restaurant Immigrant Food, which celebrates all the global flavors that truly make America great!