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Exploring Public Art With the Kids
In New York City
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Bansky Hammer Boy
233 W 79th St, New York, NY 10024, USA
Suitable for
Teens
The Hammer Boy, located on 79th Street and Broadway in Manhattan on the wall of the DSW store. The artwork features a young boy holding a hammer and is painted on a roll-down gate of a building. The piece is known for its social commentary on labor and child exploitation.
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Battery Park
Tom Otterness Real World Sculptures
River Terrace & Chambers St, New York, NY 10282, USA
Suitable for
Teens
Tom Otterness is an American sculptor known for his playful and whimsical sculptures, often featuring anthropomorphic animals and human figures. His public artwork can be found in various locations throughout the United States and internationally, including his "Real World" series of sculptures.
The "Real World" sculptures are a collection of bronze figurines that depict scenes from everyday life. They can be found throughout New York City, including in Battery Park, Rockefeller Center, and the 14th Street/Eighth Avenue subway station. The sculptures are small in scale, with each figure standing between two and three feet tall, and are often arranged in groups to create larger scenes.
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American Merchant Mariners Memorial
American Merchant Mariners' Memorial, Battery Pl, New York, NY 10004, USA
Suitable for
Teens
The American Merchant Mariners Memorial is a bronze sculpture located in Battery Park. It was commissioned by the American Merchant Mariners' Memorial, Inc. to honor the United States Merchant Marine, who risked their lives during World War II to deliver supplies and personnel to the front lines.
The sculpture depicts three merchant seamen standing on a large platform, holding a lifeboat aloft as a memorial to the thousands of mariners who lost their lives at sea during the war. The platform is surrounded by a reflecting pool, which is inscribed with the names of 6,000 American Merchant Mariners who died in service during World War II.
The memorial was designed by artist Marisol Escobar and was dedicated on June 10, 1991. It has become a symbol of the courage and sacrifice of the American Merchant Mariners who played a vital role in the country's war effort.
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Coney Art Walls
3050 Stillwell Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11224, USA
Suitable for
Teens
Coney Art Walls is an outdoor street art museum located in Coney Island, Brooklyn. It features a rotating collection of murals and street art from both local and international artists. The project was initiated by Joseph J. Sitt and Jeffrey Deitch, and the first installation debuted in 2015. The project aims to promote and celebrate contemporary street art, and it has become a popular attraction for visitors to Coney Island.
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Group of Four Trees
One Chase Manhattan Plaza, New York, NY 10005, USA
Suitable for
Teens
The Group of Four Trees is a sculpture located in the heart of New York City's Financial District. It was created by the artist Jean Dubuffet in 1972 and is considered one of the most important works of public art in the city.
The sculpture consists of four massive trees, each standing 50 feet tall and weighing over 20,000 pounds. The trees are made of a combination of fiberglass, polyurethane, and aluminum, and are painted in bright, bold colors.
The Group of Four Trees is a prime example of Dubuffet's "Hourloupe" style, which involves the use of bright colors, bold lines, and playful shapes to create whimsical and imaginative sculptures. The sculpture is meant to evoke a sense of playfulness and childlike wonder, and to provide a striking contrast to the surrounding buildings and skyscrapers.
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The Braves of 9/11 Mural
780 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10017, USA
Suitable for
Teens
Eduardo Kobra beautifully pays tribute to those courageous individuals. He presents a firefighter kneeling over the stars of the American flag with the stripes of the flag behind him. The stripes also double as the Twin Towers. It’s a touching reminder to be thankful of the people who help keep NYC safe, and makes for one of the best murals in New York City.
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Hudson River Park
Pier 52 Day's End
Bloomfield Street, New York City, NY, USA
Suitable for
Teens
Day's End is a public art installation located in Hudson River Park. It was created by artist David Hammons and unveiled in 2021.
It consists of a 52-foot-long, 40-foot-wide steel structure that echoes the outline of the original pier. The structure features a roof made of translucent material that allows light to filter through during the day and provides a glowing effect at night.
Visitors can enter the installation through a small opening at one end, where they are greeted by a stunning view of the Hudson River and the surrounding skyline. The interior of the structure is open and airy, with benches where visitors can sit and take in the view.
Day's End is a unique and inspiring work of public art that celebrates the natural beauty of the Hudson River and the industrial history of the Meatpacking District.
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Mt. Rushmore of Art Mural
210 10th Ave, New York, NY 10011, USA
Suitable for
Teens
In his tribute to some of modern art’s biggest players he chose to include Andy Warhol, Frida Kahlo, Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat.
All of the artists included spent a considerable amount of time in New York City and played a major part in the worldwide art scene. You can see some of the unique signatures of the depicted artists like Keith Haring’s figurines and Jean-Michel Basquiat’s Pez Dispenser (the dinosaur with the crown).
This modern take on Mt. Rushmore is refreshing and lighthearted. Since it’s near some of the other murals on this list you can make a day of it and explore Chelsea.
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Sky Reflector-Net
200 Broadway, New York, NY 10038, USA
Suitable for
Teens
The Sky Reflector-Net is a stunning public art installation located in the Fulton Center transportation hub in Lower Manhattan. It was designed by the architectural firm Grimshaw in collaboration with the artist James Carpenter and completed in 2014.
The installation consists of a massive, 79-foot-tall stainless steel and glass structure that sits in the center of the Fulton Center's atrium. The structure is composed of over 10,000 diamond-shaped aluminum panels, which are suspended from a network of steel cables that crisscross above the atrium.
The panels are angled and positioned in such a way that they capture natural light from the surrounding buildings and reflect it down into the atrium below, creating a mesmerizing play of light and shadow. The installation is also equipped with a system of mirrors and lenses that refract and reflect the light, creating a constantly changing and dynamic environment.
Overall, the Sky Reflector-Net is a stunning example of the transformative power of public art, and a testament to the enduring spirit of creativity and innovation in New York City.
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The Mini-Bean
56 Leonard St, New York, NY, USA
Suitable for
Teens
The sculpture is located in the courtyard of a luxury condominium building at 56 Leonard Street in Tribeca. It stands 19 feet tall and is 48 feet long, making it significantly smaller than the original Cloud Gate sculpture in Chicago.
Like its larger counterpart, "American Forging" is made of polished stainless steel and has a curved, bean-like shape that reflects and distorts the surrounding environment. The sculpture's polished surface creates a funhouse mirror effect, distorting the reflections of the surrounding buildings and people and creating a surreal and otherworldly experience.
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Mural de Albert Einstein
We Love NY
298-200 W 21st St, New York, NY 10011, USA
Suitable for
Teens
"We Love NY" is a mural of Albert Einstein by the Brazilian artist Eduardo Kobra, who goes by the name Kobra. The mural features a colorful, larger-than-life portrait of Einstein, surrounded by a bright and abstract depiction of the city skyline, including the iconic yellow taxi cabs.
Kobra is known for his large-scale, photorealistic murals featuring cultural icons and famous figures, as well as his use of bold, bright colors and geometric shapes.
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Mother Teresa and Gandhi Mural by Kobra
516-500 W 18th St, New York, NY 10011, USA
Suitable for
Teens
