[title]
Spring is in the air, and so is a splash of nostalgia.
The PUBLIC hotel just dropped one of the city’s most Instagrammable art installations yet: a fully rideable, life-sized carousel in the middle of Chrystie Park, the hotel’s front courtyard.
Dubbed “Down the Rabbit Hole,” the surreal centerpiece is the brainchild of artist Pose (of “Beyond The Streets” fame) in collaboration with hotelier Ian Schrager. Inspired by New York City’s 1980s graffiti heyday and the imaginative pull of storybooks, this public art piece transforms the familiar childhood ride into a riot of color, symbolism and urban soul.
Set to spin outside the hotel through the end of August, the carousel isn’t just a pretty photo op: it’s an immersive art experience that allows you to climb aboard, encouraging you to take in the layers of visual storytelling at play. Pose’s signature style fuses comic book flourishes with pop art punch, resulting in a dreamy yet gritty aesthetic that feels both nostalgic and entirely new.
“New York was my amusement ride,” says Pose, who embedded personal memories into the piece. “I don't want to give too much away cause it's meant to be explored and owned experientially by the viewers and riders.”
From flowers cracking through concrete to emergency axes symbolizing escape, the ride is loaded with metaphor. But don’t worry if you’re just in it for the vibes—between the candy-colored panels and the whimsical yellow path that leads to it, the installation doubles as a mini escape amidst downtown chaos.
You’ll find it outside the PUBLIC Hotel at 215 Chrystie Street, beckoning locals, tourists and curious art lovers alike to take a spin—literally—through one artist’s joyful, chaotic, very NYC mind.
"Down the Rabbit Hole" is on view (and rideable!) through August. Admission is free.