Free outdoor sculpture garden opens at Rockefeller Center

Another free public art installation has opened at Rockefeller Center. In its second year, the Frieze Sculpture at Rockefeller Center opened on Tuesday as an outdoor sculpture garden with works from six major international artists. Originally scheduled to open this past spring as part of art programs offered by Frieze New York, the installation was postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Glacial Erratic by artist Beatriz Cortez; Photo courtesy of Diane Bondareff/AP Images for Tishman Speyer

A flag installation titled Red Flags by artist Andy Goldsworthy; Photo courtesy of Diane Bondareff/AP Images for Tishman Speyer

Presented in partnership with Frieze New York and Tishman Speyer, the sculpture garden was curated by Brett Littman, head of the Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Garden Museum, and features sculptural works throughout Rockefeller Center. Because the event was originally expected to open on the 50th anniversary of Earth Day in April, this year’s installation takes inspiration by natural materials, like rock and plants.

R.M.M. (Power Broker Purple) and R.M.M. (Organ, Organ, Organ Red) by artist Lena Henke; Photo courtesy of Diane Bondareff/AP Images for Tishman Speyer

The sculptures also address timely issues including women’s suffrage, urban planning, ecology, and migration. The installation, which is free and does not require tickets, will be open to the public until October 1.

“They are also grounded in the celebration of the natural and botanical worlds, and in some cases the artists use plants and flowers as part of their sculptures,” Littman said in an article on Frieze New York’s website. “Given our world’s current urgent concerns with ecological sustainability, climate change and racial inequality – and the impact these issues have had in spreading COVID-19 – the idea of creating an outdoor sculpture installation within this discourse, could not be more relevant.”

A garden installation titled Womenís Qualities by artist Ghada Amer; Photo courtesy of Diane Bondareff/AP Images for Tishman Speyer

Inside Job by artist Camille Henrot; Photo courtesy of Diane Bondareff/AP Images for Tishman Speyer

Works from artists Ghada Amer, Beatriz Cortez, Andy Goldsworthy, Lena Henke, Camille Henrot, and Thaddeus Mosley are now on display across the historic site, leaving enough space for visitors to maintain social distance. Learn more about each sculpture and the artists behind them, here.

The sculpture garden is the second art installation to open at the iconic public space this summer. Last month, “The Flag Project” debuted with 193 new flags designed by the public and a handful of notable artists.

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All photos courtesy of Diane Bondareff/AP Images for Tishman Speyer