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A new public artwork has landed—well, technically, it’s hovering—over the Lullwater in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park. Think a flock of neon-pink birds, suspended midair, with wings fluttering in the breeze.
The installation, dubbed The Journey, by Brooklyn-based artist Risha Gorig, is now on view along the shoreline near the park’s historic Boathouse through August 31. Presented by NYC Parks’ Art in the Parks program and the Prospect Park Alliance, the piece turns a quiet stretch of water into something both thought-provoking and surreal.
Set 15 feet above the ground, the kinetic birds catch the wind and move in loose formation, meant to symbolize migration. It’s not just a pretty spectacle, though. Gorig’s work considers the deeper meanings of the act, as it relates to a shared human experience shaped by movement, displacement and the search for stability.
“Surviving in urban landscapes such as our cities is hard for everybody—animals and humans alike,” Gorig said. “To find food and shelter and a place to call home is what we all strive for.”
Gorig’s choice of Prospect Park for the installation isn’t accidental. The park sits along the Atlantic Flyway, a major migration route that sees more than 250 bird species pass through each year. It’s also home to Brooklyn’s last remaining upland forest and its only lake, making it one of the borough’s most important ecological pockets, even if most visitors just think of it as a great place for a picnic.
“Bringing thought-provoking public artwork like The Journey to our public parks both enhances our public realm and sparks conversations among New Yorkers,” said Tricia Shimamura, the NYC Parks Commissioner. “This inventive installation speaks to Prospect Park’s critical role as a habitat for diverse wildlife.”
If you want to meet the artist and see the work in motion (and maybe feel a little poetic about it), there’s an official opening celebration on April 19 as part of the park’s Earth Day festivities. Expect nature walks, performances and a closer look at how the installation came together.
Consider it a new reason to linger by the water.