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This giant sculpture in the Garment District is made of rubber tires

And was created by a world-class sculptor.

Ian Kumamoto
Written by
Ian Kumamoto
Staff Writer
picture of a giant sculpture
Photograph: By Alexandre Ayer
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If you’re looking for the best public art in the city right now, a giant, 35-foot sculpture made of deconstructed rubber tires might just take the cake.

The monstrous—or playful, depending on your perspective—new abstract sculpture in Manhattan bends towards itself in symmetrical loops, ascending into the sky and back down again. 

RECOMMENDED: The best outdoor art in NYC this spring

The colossus, which was created by world renowned artist Chakaia Booker, is located between 39th and 40th Streets in Manhattan’s Garment District, and was unveiled to the public yesterday. It will remain on display until November 1. 

Booker is an artist from Newark best known for creating huge works made primarily from rubber tires and meant to capture people’s attention. Her art has been exhibited across four continents and she also exhibited her work at the 2000 Whitney Biennial.  

sculpture
Photograph: By Alexandre Ayer
close up of snaking sculpture
Photograph: By Alexandre Ayer
zoomed out picture of giant sculpture
Photograph: By Alexandre Ayer

Her newest sculpture, Shaved Portions, is meant to evoke a sense of beauty, rhythm and common humanity that pulses through the city itself. It’s the latest installation from the year-round public art program Garment District Art on the Plazas, which seeks to make the Garment District more pleasant and liveable through several initiatives that include installing public art. 

We’ve seen our share of great public art displays in recent months, from a colorful exhibit inspired by Korean basketry to a sculpture of an A-train that resembles a serpent. Don’t miss this latest head-turning addition to the city’s artscape.

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