54 Wave Sculptures Across NYC’s 5 Boroughs Are Installed in Public Art Trail this Weekend

A wave sculpture by the Cousteau Society for La Mer Wave Walk at 124th Street and Park Avenue

In preparation for United Nations World Oceans Day on June 8th, a public art trail of 54 wave sculptures is being installed all across New York City’s five boroughs for view this weekend, May 20th and 21st (although many sculptures are already live as of publication date). A map of the sculpture locations is available here.

The notable artists and figures who have designed the sculptures for the La Mer Wave Walk include Julian Schnabel, photographer Bruce Weber, fashion designer Vivienne Westwood, Brooklyn-based artist Dustin Yellin, the musicians Slash, Rufus Wainwright, entrepreneur Richard Branson, Queen Noor of Jordan, modelCara Delevingne, and actress Sienna Miller. The effort is a joint one by Project 0, the oceanic conservation organization, and beauty brand La Mer.

Installing the Cousteau Society piece. All the works in the project come in two sizes, They come in 2 sizes. three or four feet tall. This work is four feet.

The waves are intended to be “inspired and influenced by the ocean,” according to the La Mer Wave Walk website and “transmit the artists’ personal joy, hope, and inspiration for the ocean.” All the works are purchasable and benefit the La Mer Blue Heart Oceans Fund for Project 0, which is focused on Marine Protected Areas, including the Azores, the East China Sea, and the Caribbean mangroves.

Yesterday, we caught up with Tyrone Wood, the director of Project 0, who was delivering an installation that will be on view at the Metro North Station Plaza on 125th Street in East Harlem. He told us that all fifty pieces will be installed between yesterday and today, including six inside the Time Warner Building at Columbus Circle between 11 am and 2 pm and two pieces inside the World Trade Center Oculus. Additional locations include the Intrepid Air & Space Museum (piece by actress Lola Kirke of Mozart in the Jungle), Rockefeller Center, the United Nations, Four Freedoms Park on Roosevelt Island, Gantry State Park in Long Island City, the Brooklyn Public Library, JFK Airport, and the Staten Island Yankees Stadium. New York City is the first city for the La Mer Wave walk, but Wood hopes it will expand to others.

The Wave walk will be live until June 21st!

Tag us @untappedcities and #LAMERWAVEWALK if you come across a wave, we’ll add the image to this article!