Winter Cathedral at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens
Winter Cathedral by Mandylights. Courtesy of Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

Though the year may quickly be coming to a close, public art installations continue to open across New York City. From the Park Avenue Armory to Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue, a dozen new art installations are available for view. This December be sure to check out Lisa Congdon’s large-scale printed vinyl murals for Rockefeller Center’s holiday installation, Cecile Chong’s sculpture display EL DORADO – The New Forty Niners, and the interactive monument Lenticular Histories at Prospect Park. In addition, keep reading to learn more about art installations still up from previous months.

1. The Great Debate at The Battery

Flyboy statue in the Battery
The Great Debate by Hebru Brantley. Photo by @pixelatedstreets.

On display at The Battery in Lower Manhattan is artist Hebru Brantley’s 16-foot steel sculpture The Great Debate, depicting Flyboy — a superhero character of color created by Brantley in response to the few characters of color found within the comic book world. Brantley was inspired by the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African-American military aviator pilots who fought in World War II. Flyboy serves as a nod of admiration towards these men, aimed at inspiring future generations to soar above their predicted possibilities, regardless of the challenges standing in their way. Presented in partnership with NYC Parks’ Art in the Parks program, The Great Debate forces its audience to reflect on the meaning of freedom in American society today. The Great Debate will be available for view through November 13, 2022. 

For Brantley: “The Great Debate is a piece that is personal and important to me – it features Flyboy in a stance that represents confident optimism. My hope is that The Great Debate at The Battery will serve as a consistent reminder to hold your head high, stand firm in what you believe in, and keep pushing forward with confidence.”