“The Sun Is a Flame That Haunts The Night” by Tai Shani

We were walking through New York’s Chelsea neighborhood recently when we looked up to see a glowing candle, lighting our way. The mysterious light is part of the new art installation on the High Line, “The Sun Is a Flame That Haunts The Night” by Tai Shani. For this piece, Shani drew upon one of her recurring motifs, candlesticks, to create cartoon-like sculptures which glow at night. Though candles usually drip and melt, reminding us of the passing of time, these candles stay the same, unchanging on the High Line. The installation will light up the Highline through March 2026. We recommend art lovers catch these beautiful sculptures at night when they’re aglow.

Art Vending Machines

Ana Inciardi, an artist who hails from Brooklyn, has been installing print vending machines across the country for the last three years. A machine recently opened at Artists & Fleas in Chelsea market, a perfect location for the Italian American artist who celebrates food, community, eating, and accessibility. We knew we had to take a visit! Usually, the Friday photo gives us a chance to appreciate art displays, but this week we got to take the art home with us. All you need is four quarters to get a surprise print. Inciardi said the inspiration for the machines came from a sticker and temporary tattoo vending machine at the supermarket where she grew up. One week when she was short on quarters for the laundromat, she realized she could use the format of those childhood vending machines but put a twist on them, filling the machines with her prints to make art accessible for people across New York. The idea has been a massive success, and now her linocut prints can be found across the country. We were excited to bring home our New York themed images of a hot dog, ice cream, bagel, and Italian spritz, some of the best treats for a New York summer day!

“Fragile Giants” by Michel Bassompierre

Photos by Misia Delgado

Park Avenue has been taken over by a slew of “Fragile Giants.” The installation by artist Michel Bassompierre features the artist’s signature playful animals cast in bronze, welcoming all who stroll down the street. The sculptures were unveiled this May for Park Avenue Day, and will be on display for the next year through May 2026. Visitors can see these cuddly creatures on Park Avenue between 34th and 38th streets.

“Grounded in the Stars” by Thomas J. Price

Photo by Misia Delgado

In the center of Times Square, a new sculpture by Thomas J. Price depicts a 12-foot-tall black woman in ordinary clothes, looking on. For “Grounded in the Stars,” the familiar nature of the woman is the point. From her clothes to her stance and expression, the woman appears like someone we may know, but unlike the average person, she is revered in this striking monument at the center of New York City. Price said of the work, “I hope Grounded in the Stars… will instigate meaningful connections and bind intimate emotional states that allow for deeper reflection around the human condition and greater cultural diversity.” Based on the people we saw excitedly imitating the statue’s pose, posing for pictures, we think it did just that. As for the chatter around the installation? We like to think this powerful 12-foot-tall woman is staring down the critics. Viewers can find the work on the corners of Broadway and 46th Street.