For the third year, West Harlem Art Fund and NY Artist Equity Association present 21 sculptures across six venues in West Harlem. The exhibition opens  May 2nd and runs through October 30, 2026. Venues that will display art are as follow:

Morningside Park

Featuring Joseph Iacona, Elizabeth Knowles, Eunkyung Lee, Elizabeth MacWillie, Peter Miller, Dianne Smith

St. Nicholas Park

Featuring Phil Beuhler, Michael Levchenko, Moses Ros, Chris Sancomb, Zihao Zhang

Jackie Robinson Park

Featuring Phil Buehler, Z Buel, Ted Salmon, Luke Schumacher, Natalie Collette Wood, 

Montefiore Park

Featuring Michael V. Poast

Broadway Malls @ 144TH & 148th Street

Featuring  Michael V. Poast

Featured Art categories: Design, Land art, murals (free-standing), metal, mixed media and sculptural photography

Harlem Sculpture Gardens has also positioned itself as NYC’s latest public art district that stretches 67 acres on public park land that also includes playgrounds, picnicking areas, basketball courts, baseball fields, historic buildings and pool. Nature programming was introduced last fall with birding and that continued this winter along with stargazing. Nature walks and journaling will come later during the spring.

To realize the exhibition, land management practices had to be taken into consideration. Environmental impacts such as soil erosion, compaction and fallen trees had to be addressed. The organizers partnered with the City College School of Architecture and the J. Max Bond Center for Urban Futures to create resiliency plans with NYC Department of Parks and Recreation. 

“Connecting art, nature, and fabrication is key to securing local support,” says Savona Bailey-McClain, Executive Director of the West Harlem Art Fund. In a city where residents often feel disconnected, our exhibition encourages New Yorkers to enjoy art but also picnicking, bird watching,  or stargazing with friends.

Further partnerships with The Brotherhood Sister Sol and housing advocate June Moses were developed to address the street trees surrounding the parks and quality of life concerns such as heat indexes and air quality. Public engagement relationships were formed to alert and educate local residents about these impacts with programming. We gave away trees with New York Restoration Project and the Office of the Manhattan Borough President. We shared op-eds that talked about the issue of resiliency and what that means in urban settings with experts from NYU Gallatin Wetlab.

Michael Gormley, NYAE Executive Director,  notes that, “Along with its presenting partner, the West Harlem Art Fund, NYAE is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive access to cultural programming regardless of political headwinds that seek to suppress and intimidate equitable advancement.  Harlem Sculpture Gardens is a highly articulated and compelling  display of public art that deems otherwise.”

The official walk will be held on May 2nd at 12pm in Jackie Robinson Park along Bradhurst Avenue at 146th Street.

About the West Harlem Art Fund (https:// http://www.westharlem.art) 

The West Harlem Art Fund (WHAF) is a twenty-five-year- old, public art and new media organization. WHAF seek opportunities for artists and creative professionals throughout NYC and beyond wishing to showcase and share their talent. The West Harlem Art Fund presents art and culture in open and public spaces to add aesthetic interest; promote historical and cultural heritage; and support community involvement in local development. 

Our heritage symbol Afuntummireku-denkyemmtreku: is the double crocodile from West Africa Ghana which means unity in diversity. 

About New York Artist Equity Association (https:// www.nyartistsequity.org) 

New York Artist Equity Association was founded in 1947 to promote opportunities for artists and address economic issues affecting American artists. More than 160 leading American artists of the 1940s founded the organization, including Will Barnet, Thomas Hart Benton, George Biddle, Paul Cadmus, Stuart Davis, Arthur Dove, Marsden Hartley, Edward Hopper, Leon Kroll, Jacob Lawrence, John Marin, Louise Nevelson, John Sloan and the first President Yasuo Kuniyoshi. These diverse artists were all clear on one point — they had to band together to establish and protect artists’ economic well-being. Today NYAE continues to support the professional aspirations of unrecognized and emerging artists, particularly those from underrepresented groups, by providing them with exhibition opportunities, educational programing, and a vibrant community of artists, collectors, curators, and art educators. 

Special thanks: Elizabeth Masella, Temporary Public Art Coordinator, NYC Department of Parks and Recreation, Historic Harlem Park Administrator, Tapashi Narine and Regional Park Manager, Matt Genrich.

Local Partners 

Office of the Manhattan Borough President 

Office of Councilman Shaun Abreu 

The Brotherhood Sister-Sol

Dorrance Brooks Historic District 

Exalt Youth

Grove School of Engineering, City College of New York

June Moses, Housing Advocate

Jackie Robinson Park Conservancy 

JM Bond Center – For Urban Futures, City College Of New York 

Production Team 

Curatorial Assistant & Producer — Juan Luis Sanchez
Web Design & Development — Banu Akman, Breative.net 
Graphic Designers — Empowered Market Media