UES Public Art Project Threatened As Neighbors Fear 'Enticing' Kids

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — An apparently anodyne proposal to install a new sculpture on a Park Avenue median was thrown into question Thursday when neighbors raised fears that rowdy teenagers would push it around.

The Parks Department wants to install the 17-foot-tall steel sculpture by the Brazilian artist Raul Mourão on the Park Avenue mall at East 68th Street. The location is across the street from the Americas Society, which would co-sponsor the installation as it goes on view from March to September 2023.

Mourão is part of an influential artistic generation in Brazil, according to Rachel Tretter, director at the Nara Roesler Gallery, who presented plans for the sculpture to Community Board 8's parks committee on Thursday. His art explores how public spaces dictate our relationships with buildings and each other, she said.

Like many of Mourão's "playful and engaging" works, this sculpture is kinetic, with an upper portion that can swing back and forth when people push it, Tretter said.

That caused consternation among the CB8 committee members, who worried that the swinging part could endanger visitors. Board member Michele Birnbaum suggested that "mischievous teenagers in the middle of the night" might "find this very, very enticing to attempt to climb."

"I'm very worried about this," said Birnbaum, who proposed installing a security camera, an alarm system, or even having a guard patrol the sculpture.

Elizabeth Masella, a senior public art coordinator for the Parks Department, countered that the sculpture weighs more than 2,300 pounds, meaning it would take "considerable effort" to make it move. No safety issues have arisen when the work has been displayed at crowded art shows, Tretter added.

Responding to another board member, Tretter said that the sculpture could be altered to prevent any movement. But such a change would be "counter to the original intent of the work," she said.

When board members proposed a resolution that would call on Parks to make the sculpture non-moveable, Tretter said that Mourão "might not be comfortable continuing with the project."

Still, the committee approved the resolution, which will go before the full community board next week.

Masella said she would update the committee once the artist had a chance to weigh in on the demand to fix the kinetic elements in place. The city could also ignore the board's request: Masella noted that the department does not need an approval vote to install public art.

Some board members seemed puzzled by their colleagues' objections, noting that Park Avenue has hosted other kinetic sculptures without incident. Will Brightbill, the board's district manager, said CB8 has never received complaints about people climbing the avenue's public artworks.

"I don’t see hordes of teenagers advancing on Park Avenue without somebody noticing," board member Rita Popper said.