8. Garment District Urban Garden
The Garment District Urban Garden, a conglomeration of public artwork and community programs, has taken over two whole blocks on Broadway from July 10th until the end of August. The space between 37th and 38th Streets features Nymph Pond, a mural spanning the entire stretch of road. The Ecuadorian artist, Carla Torres, said she based the mural on a pond she would visit in the Galapagos Islands.
Meanwhile, the blocks between 36th and 37th and 39th and 40th Streets is the site of the 400-foot mural, Sew and Sew. The artist, Steed Taylor, calls his piece a “road tattoo” that weaves a thread-like pattern with the names of 100 people have worked in the Garment District for over 20 years. The installations were commissioned by Garment District Art on the Plazas, a program organizing public art displays that is run by Arterventions, a division of the Department of Transportation’s Art Program, and the community initiative the Garment District Alliance.
Besides the artwork, the Urban Garden is the site of multiple other events open to the public over the summer, like outdoor fitness classes, live music, and free lemonade provided by Broadway Squeeze. Additionally, the whole block surrounding the work has also been revamped, with newly planted greenery and outdoor tables and chairs for public use.