Winter Glow

Though the holiday season is over, we are happy to see the light displays continue setting NYC aglow on these short winter days. In downtown New York, visitors can bask in “Winter Glow,” a collection of interactive art installations lighting up Flatiron Plaza . Two exhibitions, “The Diamonds” and “Spectrum,” use movement and light to dazzle spectators. “The Diamonds” by Perséides Studio consist of three colorful structures that light up when they spin, featuring music by Stefie Shock that changes as the speed of rotation varies. Across the plaza is “Spectrum,” by Mirari from QDSinternational, which plays off of communication as it lights up to show sound waves pass through its circles. These interactive exhibitions are perfect for a little light therapy to brighten winter’s gloomy evenings.

“In Mortal Repose” by Diana Al-Hadid

On 27th street in Manhattan sits a woman melting away. Sculptor Diana Al-Hadid’s installation, “In Mortal Repose,” is displayed by the Kasmin Gallery just off the high line for viewers to enjoy.

“In Mortal Repose” depicts a woman slowly melting and dripping down the side of a concrete pedestal. All that remains intact is the woman’s torso and feet, with her feet fallen below. Notably, the woman’s head is missing. Al-Hadid described her process, explaining that she does not look at heads as she sculpts, because the head is the “only thing on your body you can’t really see.” The sculpture is a welcome addition to New York’s landscape and offers viewers a chance to reflect on the self, forever disintegrating, growing, and evolving.

“Curtain Call” by Karon Davis

Hovering thirty feet above Manhattan’s west side on our beloved High Line is Karon Davis’  graceful sculpture of a ballerina taking her final bow at the end of a performance aptly named “Curtain Call”.  Known for her sculptures and installations that incorporated dance, theater, and moving images, for this piece Ms. Davis drew inspiration from her family, crafting the sculpture as an homage to her parents and sister who were all professional dancers.

The artist’s sculpture of a ballerina at the end of a grueling performance captures the mental and physical toll a dancer goes through to put on a show. To bring the dancer’s experience to life, Davis leveraged a mix of 3D scanning technology with traditional sculpting techniques, creating a bronze figure based on a plaster cast of ballerina Jasmine Perry. The work is part of Davis’ series Beauty Must Suffer, which examines the “life and labor” of Black ballerinas. This installation will be available at the High Line at 23rd Street until its last bow in November 2024.