In the month of April, New York City’s exhibits and installations brings to the forefront pieces that ponder the state of our environment, and what we are leaving behind for those who will follow. One work lends an artistic eye towards leaving earth, with a fantastical view of our planet; another explores the meaning of self from the banners we fly, to the photos we hold dear. On the heels of Women’s History Month, you can continue to explore women in the arts. There will be art in many forms, from an upright swimming pool to a mosh pit. Spring also brings us back into our parks, in the form of an art exhibit at The Arsenal, a fort landscape exhibit at the Dana Discovery Center, and a DNA Totem Pole at the Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem. In your travels from exhibits to installations, remember to look both ways – so you won’t get hit by a giant bunny!

18.  A Swimming Pool Will Be at Rockefeller Center

Artists Elmgreen and Dragnet will be installing a sideways swimming pool, entitled Van Gogh’s Ear at Rockefeller Center starting April 13. The sculpture, organized by the Public Art Fund,, plays at the urban dream, particularly of New Yorkers, for beautiful public swimming pools in dense, built up areas (+POOL is a possible reality, to be in the East River, the dumpster pools on Park Avenue a fleeting appearance for Summer Streets). The sculpture will have a cyan blue interior, diving board, swimming pool lights, and a polished stainless steel ladder.

As the Public Art Fund Press release states, “Conceived specifically for this site, where fashion, commerce, tourism, business, and art collide, the work playfully contradicts our expectations of both this familiar object and iconic site.” It also gives 30 Rock a cheeky run for its money, partially blocking the view of the skyscraper popular with tourists. Van Gogh’s Ear will be on view from April 13 to June 3, at Fifth Avenue and 50th Street, in the Channel Gardens at Rockefeller Center.