The Trust for Governors Island and the Friends of Governors Island today announced the launch of an eggs-ceptional event, the Governors Island Egg Hunt, a new springtime celebration to be held for the first time on April 8, 2023, from 10:oo a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Participants will scramble to find the 10,000 wooden painted eggs hidden in areas throughout the Island’s 172 acres, with Island-specific prizes and giveaways for the most hard-boiled egg hunters.
The Governors Island Egg Hunt is free for all participants…no need to shell out big bucks for a day of eggs-cellent family-friendly free-range fun.
“Since opening to the public year-round in 2021, Governors Island has cemented itself as an unmatched destination for accessible all-season outdoor fun, and we are thrilled to continue to expand our free year-round programming with the Island’s first public egg hunt,” said Clare Newman, President and CEO of the Trust for Governors Island. “Together with the Friends of Governors Island, we hope you’ll hop on the ferry and join us for a one-of-a-kind springtime celebration in the heart of New York Harbor.”
This new event includes several levels of egg hunts tailored to specific age groups, along with an Island-wide scavenger hunt that everyone can take a crack at. The day-long celebration at the Parade Ground will also include performances from Wonderspark Puppets, Brooklyn Magic Shop, and more to be announced. Spring-themed arts and crafts will be featured all day, and food will be available for purchase onsite from Governors Island vendors along with a beer garden from Governors Island Beer Co. Visitors will also have the opportunity to meet and take pictures with the Easter Bunny and enjoy the hijinx of Looney Tooney the Clown.
“The Friends of Governors Island is thrilled to be co-hosting New York City’s largest egg hunt on Governors Island this spring,” said Patti Davis, Interim Executive Director of the Friends of Governors Island. “As our first free public program of the spring season, the Egg Hunt will feature activities for all ages throughout the Historic District and beyond, extending across our beautiful open space. The Egg Hunt is a wonderful opportunity to introduce new visitors and welcome back old friends as we kick off a wonderful spring season on Governors Island.”
EVENTSCHEDULEEvents will take place on the Parade Ground unless otherwise noted. All egg hunts are as supplies last.
10am-4pm: Registration and giveaways
10am-3pm: Island-wide scavenger hunt
10am-3pm: Bubbles with Looney Tooney the Clown
11am-2pm: Meet the Easter Bunny
11am-3pm: Arts & Crafts
11am &1pm: Egg Hunt A, Parade Ground (ages 2 – 4)
11am &1pm: Egg Hunt B, Parade Ground (ages 5 – 8)
11:30am: Wonderspark Puppets puppet show
12pm: Egg Hunt C, Colonels Row (ages 9 – 13)
12:15&1:45pm: Brooklyn Magic Shop magic show
The Governors Island Egg Hunt is co-presented by the Trust for Governors Island and the Friends of Governors Island.
Governors Island’s award-winning park is open to the public every day, along with recreation activities like bike rentals, a Community Climbing Boulder, Hammock Grove, The Hills, Picnic Point, and more. Governors Island Arts public art commissions, including work from Duke Riley, Rachel Whiteread, Mark Dion, and Mark Handforth are also currently on view throughout the Island. Charles Gaines’s The American Manifest Chapter Two: Moving Chains will reopen on Governors Island later this spring.
QCNY is open daily on Governors Island, with two heated outdoor pools alongside saunas, steam rooms, relaxation treatments, massages, and a new bar and bistro. This winter also marks the return of Winter Dog Days, where dogs are allowed on Governors Island on Saturdays and Sundays throughout the end of April. Dogs must be leashed while on Governors Island except for in the Weekend Winter Dog Park, located adjacent to Liggett Terrace.
Governors Island is open to the public daily from 7am to 6pm. Trust for Governors Island-operated ferries run daily between the Battery Maritime Building at 10 South Street in Lower Manhattan and Soissons Landing on the Island. For schedules and ticketing information, click here. Trust-operated seasonal weekend Brooklyn ferry service will return this summer.
Round-trip ferry tickets cost $4 for adults. Governors Island ferries are always free for children 12 and under, older adults ages 65 and up, residents of NYCHA, IDNYC holders, current and former military service members, and Friends of Governors Island members. Ferries before noon on Saturdays and Sundays are free for all. There is no surcharge for bicycles or strollers at any time.
NYC Ferry also serves Governors Island daily on the South Brooklyn route, with stops in Lower Manhattan and along the Brooklyn waterfront. For ticketing information and full schedules for NYC Ferry, visit www.ferry.nyc.
The Trust for Governors Island today announced the 2023 Organizations in Residence, with nonprofit organizations from all five boroughs set to expand cultural offerings for Governors Island visitors starting this spring. More than two dozen organizations were selected for this annual seasonal program, and will present free visual art, environmental education, and cultural programming inside historic former military houses from May through October 2023.
Presented through Governors Island Arts, the Trust’s signature arts and cultural program, the Organizations in Residence initiative invites nonprofits from across the city to present engaging public programs while providing workspace and artist residencies. Through this unique program, the Trust offers nonprofit groups the opportunity to reach a diverse and growing audience of engaged visitors, where collaboration is encouraged and workspace is provided free of charge. Each year, more than 200 artists and researchers receive flexible, free workspace through this program. Over the next decade, the City of New York and the Trust will invest in evolving this seasonal program into year-round permanent homes for cultural organizations on Governors Island, creating a one-of-a-kind cultural campus in Nolan Park.
“Each year, a dynamic group of nonprofit organizations converge here on Governors Island to present some of the most exciting cultural experiences our city has to offer,” said Clare Newman, President and CEO of the Trust for Governors Island. “As the Island’s cultural community continues to grow, we look forward to welcoming more visitors than ever to directly engage with the artists, exhibitions, and other cultural interventions in Nolan Park and Colonels Row.”
“Governors Island Arts’ Organizations in Residence program and its participants consistently present unique, timely works, representing a powerful intersection of perspectives and providing an invaluable cultural resource for Island visitors and all New Yorkers,” said Juan Pablo Siles, Associate Curator and Producer at the Trust for Governors Island. “With eight new nonprofits joining the Organizations in Residence community this year, visitors can look forward to enjoying a range of public program offerings from cross-disciplinary organizations from every single borough.”
This year’s cohort will present programming in and around the historic houses of Nolan Park and Colonels Row on Governors Island, enlivening these historic districts during the Island’s highest visitation season and holding 200+ free public programs for Island visitors. The houses will be open to the public Friday through Sunday from 11am to 5pm beginning May 5, 2023.
* Denotes a first-time member of the Organizations in Residence program
In addition, NYU Gallatin WetLab (Manhattan) and Cumbe: Center for African and Diaspora Dance (Brooklyn) will present free outdoor programs, classes, workshops, and events at different locations around the Island during the programming season. Click here to view more information about the 2023 Organizations in Residence.
Since opening to the public in 2005, Governors Island has become a beloved destination and cultural resource for New York City. Beginning in 2013, the Trust has commissioned significant permanent and temporary artworks by artists including Rachel Whiteread, Susan Philipsz, David Brooks, Jacob Hashimoto, Shantell Martin, Duke Riley, Richard Move, Sam Van Aken, Mark Dion, and Charles Gaines.
Governors Island has undergone a tremendous transformation over the last decade, including the expansion of year-round public access and the creation of a resilient 43-acre park, a growing arts and cultural program, and remarkable growth in audience. The Island is home to a diverse number of year-round tenants, including the Urban Assembly New York Harbor School, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, Billion Oyster Project, Shandaken: Projects, Beam Center, the Institute for Public Architecture, and QCNY, as well as Buttermilk Labs — a new multi-tenant hub for coastal climate solutions announced in Fall 2021.
The Trust is currently in the process of selecting an anchor educational and research institution as part of the Center for Climate Solutions, a groundbreaking initiative designed to further New York City as a global leader in efforts to respond to the climate crisis. A key part of Mayor Adams’ “Rebuild, Renew, Reinvent: A Blueprint for NYC’s Economic Recovery,” the project will support the research, development and demonstration of equitable climate solutions for New York City— that can be scaled and applied globally.
The winners of the People's Choice award at the 2022 ice sculpture show. Photo by Julienne Schaer
Governors Island Arts and Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC) announced today they will co-host Governors Island’s second annual Winter Ice Sculpture Show. This one-of-a-kind event will take place on Saturday, February 18, 2023, from 12 to 5p.m. at the Governors Island Winter Village. The festive event provides New Yorkers and visitors from around the world with the singular opportunity to experience live ice carving, alongside all of the open space, cultural, educational, and historic resources and attractions that the Island offers year-round.
“The annual ice sculpture show provides direct support for local artists and brings New Yorkers another joyful, ephemeral public art experience on Governors Island in the winter months,” said Clare Newman, President and CEO of the Trust for Governors Island. “This unique event is one of many reasons to visit the Island during the winter season. We can’t wait to once again welcome visitors of all ages to come and enjoy music and warm drinks, experience the thrill of live ice sculpting, and vote on their favorite works.”
“Governors Island is known as a major hub for the arts and creativity in New York City, the region and beyond, and this ice sculpture competition highlights that synergy and the wonderful programming that has made the Island its home,” said Meredith Johnson, VP of Arts & Culture and Head Curator for the Trust. “We look forward to welcoming our artists and a curious public to witness the spectacle of carving ice with a chainsaw, a thrill that has few rivals.”
“We are delighted to partner with Governors Island Arts for a second year of wintertime fun and community-building at the 2023 Ice Sculpture Event,” said Craig T. Peterson, President of LMCC. “Through our Open Call, we look forward to welcoming artists from all disciplines to design one-of-a-kind sculptures, and connecting the public with the wonderful varieties of artistic expression in New York City found all year long at Governors Island.”
In late 2022, Governors Island Arts and LMCC invited New York City-based artists to submit designs through an open call. Ten designs were selected by an esteemed panel of New York City cultural luminaries and will be brought to life by the artists during this live, marathon ice sculpting session. Each selected artist will be paired with professional ice carvers from Okamoto Studio on the day of the event. Visitors are invited to witness this real-time ice carving and vote on their favorite sculpture for the “People’s Choice Award” at the end of the event.
This year’s show will also feature DJ sets from Red Corvette and DJ Savage curated by Half Moon, an independent music and media company that covers and reinforces emerging culture around the world through radio, events, editorial, and educational workshops with headquarters in New York City and Los Angeles. In addition to food and drink available from year-round Governors Island vendor Little Eva’s, food trucks operated by Black-owned businesses Ms. Spudz and GG’s Fish & Chips will be featured during the event in honor of Black History Month. The Governors Island Winter Village, including the 7,000-square foot ice skating rink, seasonal food options, lawn games, fire pits, and more, will be open to the public throughout the day.
The esteemed jury panel that selected entrants and will select winners includes: Jonathan Gardenhire, Assistant Director of Individual Giving at MoMA PS1; Natasha Logan, Deputy Director of Creative Time; Shintaro Okamoto, Founder/Creative Director of Okamoto Studio, artist José Parlá, and artist Duke Riley.
During the winter months, Governors Island is open to the public daily from 7am to 6pm. Trust for Governors Island-operated ferries run daily between the Battery Maritime Building at 10 South Street in Lower Manhattan and Soissons Landing on the Island. For schedules and ticketing information, visit www.govisland.org. Trust-operated seasonal weekend Brooklyn ferry service will return in Spring 2023.
Round-trip ferry tickets cost $4 for adults. Governors Island ferries are always free for children 12 and under, older adults ages 65 and up, residents of NYCHA, IDNYC holders, current and former military service members, and Governors Island members. Ferries before noon on Saturdays and Sundays are free for all. There is no surcharge for bicycles or strollers at any time.
NYC Ferry’s South Brooklyn route is temporarily bypassing Governors Island through mid-February due to planned maintenance. During this time, Trust ‑operated ferries continue to run daily every half hour from the Battery Maritime Building. NYC Ferry riders traveling to Governors Island from Brooklyn can take the ferry to Wall Street/Pier 11 and transfer to Trust-operated ferries at 10 South Street. For more information on NYC Ferry, visit www.ferry.nyc.
Winter, spring, summer, and fall on Governors Island. Photos by Radhika Chalasani, Julienne Schaer, and Sean Jamar
The Trust for Governors Island and the Friends of Governors Island are excited to release our 2022 Year in Review, a comprehensive look at all of the incredible recreational resources, cultural milestones, climate innovations, and tenant community updates from the first full year that the Island was open to the public. Read on for highlights, and thank you for making 2022 a year to remember on Governors Island. Click here to read the full report.
Photo by Julienne Schaer
UNIQUEOPENSPACEFOREVERYONE
With 120 acres of open space, Governors Island is known throughout New York City as an affordable and accessible destination—providing a year-round outdoor oasis for nearly one million visitors each year. In 2022, we welcomed visitors from every single residential zip code in NYC, expanded ferry service and reached new audiences, presented a diverse calendar of events and programs, and celebrated the Island’s landscapes in every season. Read more →
Photo by Philip Greenberg
TRANSFORMATIVEPUBLICART&CULTURE
Governors Island is one of New York City’s most dynamic cultural destinations. In 2022, the arts and cultural programs presented by the Trust launched as Governors Island Arts, and the program debuted two ambitious commissions — each years in the making — and hosted a diverse selection of seasonal Organizations in Residence in Nolan Park and Colonels Row. Read more →
Photo courtesy of Billion Oyster Project
INNOVATIONINCLIMATE&THEENVIRONMENT
Governors Island is committed to tackling the climate crisis head-on through research and education.2022 saw monumental steps forward in establishing an anchor institution for the Center for Climate Solutions on Governors Island. Year-round tenants also made progress on long-time goals, including Billion Oyster Project opening its first public shell drop-off site in Brooklyn and the Urban Assembly New York Harbor School announcing the expansion of its specialty maritime and environmental education facilities. Read more →
Photo by Gregory Gentert
A THRIVINGCOMMUNITYOFTENANTS
Governors Island is home to a growing community cross-disciplinary tenants, each of which flourished in 2022. Lower Manhattan Cultural Council’s Arts Center at Governors Island granted artist residencies and presented three exhibitions, QCNY opened their unique wellness space, the Institute for Public Architecture hosted new programs and residencies, Beam Center hosted 400+ young New Yorkers for an accessible summer camp experience, and more. Read more →
New York City-based artists and artist teams are invited to submit ideas for an ice sculpture, to be completed at the second annual Governors Island Winter Ice Sculpture Show on Saturday, February 18, 2023. Ice sculpture competitions and exhibitions have a long history around the world but are not typically seen on a grand scale in New York City — and are often limited to artists who specialize in ice carving. The Governors Island Winter Ice Show strives to democratize this popular activity, transforming it into one open to all artists regardless of discipline and previous experience.
Ten proposals will be selected to compete by a distinguished jury of New York City-based cultural leaders. Selected artists or teams will receive an award of $2,000 to participate, will be provided with tools and production materials, and will be matched with a professional ice carver from Okamoto Studio to complete the work on the day of the event. An ice carving orientation for all selected artists and teams will take place prior to the event at Okamoto Studio. The deadline to submit proposals is Tuesday, January 17, 2023.
Announcement date: Tuesday, December 20, 2022 Deadline to apply: Tuesday, January 17, 2023 The deadline to submit proposals has been extended to Friday, January 20, at 11:59pm. Event date: Saturday, February 18, 2023
Hosted by Governors Island Arts in partnership with Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC) and with the expert guidance of Okamoto Studio, the show is an exciting one-day event where visitors will be able to experience live ice carving, enjoy music and warm drinks, and vote on their favorite works for the “People’s Choice Award,” presented to the fan favorite.
About the Presenting Organizations
Governors Island Arts, the public arts and cultural program presented by the Trust for Governors Island, creates transformative encounters with art for all New Yorkers, inviting artists and researchers to engage with the issues of our time in the context of the Island’s layered histories, environments, and architecture. Governors Island Arts achieves this mission through temporary and long-term public art commissions, an annual Organization in Residence program in the Island’s historic houses, and free public programs and events in partnership with a wide range of cross-disciplinary NYC cultural organizations.
Founded as Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, LMCC serves, connects, and makes space for artists and community. Since 1973, LMCC has been the champion for independent artists in New York City and the cultural life force of Lower Manhattan. Curated and presented by LMCC, The Arts Center at Governors Island is an incubator for creative experimentation and a gathering space to engage in dialogue. Work developed and presented at The Arts Center focuses on sustainability and equity.
The Trust for Governors Island today announced the Governors Island Winter Village will open November 17, transforming historic Colonels Row into a singular seasonal destination for the second year in a row. The popular Winter Village will include a 7,500-square foot skating rink for visitors of all ages to enjoy, along with wintery activities, festive decorations, games, cold-weather food and drinks, and warming fire pits. The rink will be open Thursday through Sunday and all New York City public school holidays, with additional Winter Village activities available seven days a week.
“We are so excited to invite New Yorkers and visitors to Governors Island for the return of Winter Village,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “Cold weather doesn’t have to mean being stuck inside — it can mean ice skating and sledding with your friends or sitting around a fire with your family. And with the return of Winter Dog Days, I’m sure Governors Island will be a popular destination for every member of the family.”
“Governors Island continues to showcase its unique and uplifting contributions to New York City’s cultural landscape through the Winter Village,” said Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development Maria Torres-Springer. “From ice skating to Jenga to toasty drinks, there’s something for everyone in the family at the Winter Village and I encourage all New Yorkers to take advantage of Governors Island year-round.”
“The secret is out: Governors Island is truly a magical place all year long, and we are so excited to welcome New Yorkers back to the Winter Village,” said Clare Newman, President and CEO of the Trust for Governors Island. “In addition to some pretty spectacular skating, Winter Village visitors will once again be able to enjoy some of the same amazing food trucks, exciting programming, and stunning landscapes that make Governors Island a great place to visit all year long.”
In addition to the rink, the Village will feature bike and sled rentals from Blazing Saddles NYC and wintery activities including lawn games like cornhole, can jam and giant Jenga; fire pits; winter arts and cultural programming, and a sparkling display of holiday lights throughout historic Colonels Row. The Governors Island Winter Village will be open through February 2023.
Expanding on last year’s public hours, the ice rink will be open Thursdays and Fridays from noon to 5:30pm and Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 5:30pm, with event packages and buyouts available during additional hours. The rink will also feature events, activities, and “Free Admission Thursdays,” with admission fees waived for all visitors every Thursday. Rink admission and skate rentals can be reserved online at www.govisland.org starting mid-November.
Island vendor Little Eva’s will be open daily at the Winter Village with a seasonal menu, complete with warm drinks and new takes on their classic comfort food like brats, vegan chili, fish and chips, soups, and more. A rotating series of New York City’s best food trucks, in partnership with the New York Food Truck Association, will round out the Island’s winter eats.
The Governors Island Winter Village is presented with support from The May and Samuel Rudin Family Foundation.
Governors Island’s award-winning park is open to the public every day, along with recreation activities like bike rentals, a Community Climbing Boulder, Hammock Grove, The Hills, Picnic Point, and more. Governors Island Arts public art commissions, including work from Charles Gaines, Duke Riley, Rachel Whiteread, Mark Dion, and Mark Handforth are also currently on view throughout the Island.
QCNY Spa continues to be open daily on Governors Island, with heated outdoor pools alongside saunas, steam rooms, relaxation treatments, massages, and a new bar and bistro. This winter also marks the return of Winter Dog Days, where dogs are allowed on Governors Island on Saturdays and Sundays throughout the winter months. Dogs must be leashed while on Governors Island except for in the Weekend Winter Dog Park, located adjacent to Liggett Terrace.
“Governors Island is a jewel for New York City, not just in the summer months, but now year-round, ” said Congressman Jerry Nadler. “Today’s announcement of Governors Islands Winter Village invites visitors from all over the city to engage in ice skating, hot chocolate by the fire and weather friendly activities and festivities. I’m thrilled to continue supporting Governors Island as a dynamic resource for all New Yorkers and I am excited to see the experience created for visitors in the winter season.”
“I am happy that the Winter Village will be returning this season,” said State Senator Brian Kavanagh, who represents Governors Island. “New Yorkers will once again have access to great food and exciting events for all ages, including ice skating, winter activities, fun games, and festive decorations. I encourage everyone to visit Governors Island this winter and enjoy this winter wonderland. I applaud the Trust for Governors Island for their ongoing efforts to make Governors Island a more accessible, enjoyable, and engaging place to visit and explore.”
“Regardless of the time of year, Governors Island is always a must-visit destination, and the second-annual Winter Village has something for everyone. I encourage all New Yorkers to hop on the ferry and try one of the many wintertime activities or huddle by the fire pits,” said Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine. “Thank you to the Trust for Governors Island for being incredible stewards of and constantly expanding public access to all that the island has to offer.”
“Coming off the heels of pumpkin point weekend and the many opportunities to enjoy the amazing canopy of fall foliage and bucolic natural beauty of Governors Island, Manhattan Community Board 1 is delighted to welcome the second Winter Season!” said Tammy Meltzer, Chairperson of Manhattan Community 1. “We look forward to the public enjoying the Island’s beloved open spaces glistening with fresh snow, the amazing unfettered harbor and skyline views, events and cultural programming. Community Board 1 is thrilled that the Trust continues to enhance the public’s access to this priceless natural resource through sun, snow and beyond.”
During the winter months, Governors Island is open to the public daily from 7am to 6pm. Trust for Governors Island-operated ferries run daily between the Battery Maritime Building at 10 South Street in Lower Manhattan and Soissons Landing on the Island. For schedules and ticketing information, visit www.govisland.org. Trust-operated seasonal weekend Brooklyn ferry service will return in Spring 2023.
Round-trip ferry tickets cost $4 for adults. Governors Island ferries are always free for children 12 and under, seniors 65 and up, residents of NYCHA, IDNYC holders, current and former military service members, and Governors Island members. Ferries before noon on Saturdays and Sundays are free for all. There is no surcharge for bicycles or strollers at any time.
NYC Ferry also serves Governors Island daily on the South Brooklyn route. For ticketing information and full schedules for NYC Ferry, visit www.ferry.nyc.
Creative Time, Governors Island Arts, and Times Square Arts are pleased to announce the opening of Moving Chainson Governors Island on October 15, 2022, the second chapter of Charles Gaines’sThe American Manifest. The 110-foot kinetic sculpture activated by colossal chains rotating overhead anchors a public art project that addresses the reality of systemic racism in the United States of America through embodied and visual experience, and provides critical historical context on our extraordinary political division today.
Announced in June 2022, Charles Gaines’s The American Manifest is an exhibition of multimedia sculpture, performances, and educational sessions that unfold in three parts across New York City and Cincinnati, Ohio over 2022 – 23. The opening of Moving Chains on Governors Island follows the project’s première in Times Square this July 2022 with Manifestos 4: The Dred and Harriet Scott Decision and Roots. Opening next,Moving Chains will be on view to the public on Governors Island in New York Harbor from October 15, 2022 through June 2023, before it moves to the banks of the Ohio River in Cincinnati.
“The second chapter in Charles Gaines’s monumental The American Manifest, Moving Chains is Governors Island Arts’ largest public art commission to date and will provide a deeply immersive opportunity for Island visitors and all New Yorkers to engage with the complex histories and legacies of Governors Island, New York Harbor, and the United States as a whole,” said Meredith Johnson, Vice President of Arts and Culture and Head Curator at the Trust for Governors Island. “Governors Island Arts is committed to supporting transformative artistic interventions that encourage New Yorkers to engage with the most pressing issues of our time, and we are honored to work with Charles Gaines and our incredible partners to bring Moving Chains to Governors Island.”
Commissioning partner Creative Time Executive Director Justine Ludwig, elaborates on the project, “Creative Time is committed to commissioning works of art on the scale of dreams that challenge expectation. Ambitious public art projects, like the Moving Chains, allow us to forefront difficult questions and reexamine historical truths. Charles Gaines has provided a clarity of vision, and executed it on a large-scale that is impossible to ignore.”
New York City welcomes the momentous public art engagement for New Yorkers and its visitors, “Each year, Governors Island expands its contributions to public art, culture and creativity in our city,” said Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development Maria-Torres Springer. “I encourage all New Yorkers to take a trip out to experience Moving Chains, Chapter Two of Charles Gaines’s The American Manifest—a thought-provoking and consequential sculpture and the Island’s largest public art commission to date.”
For nearly 50 years, Charles Gaines has distinguished himself as an artist dedicated to the perception of subjective and objective truths. In the artist’s first commission of public art, in development for nearly a decade, Gaines confronts the American origin story — the nation’s founding and its expansion — with a series of artworks that dissect a narrative riddled with falsehoods and omissions that have furthered the project of white supremacy. Tracing the flow of the historically charged rivers and ports of New York City and Cincinnati’s Ohio River, Gaines offers a multifaceted interrogation of the dual role of the northern states in both maintaining and abolishing slavery, and the enduring implications of the racialized systems, myths, and logics that underpin the nation’s economic and legal foundations today.
Moving Chains is a monumental 110-foot long kinetic sculpture built from steel and sustainably harvested Sapele, commonly referred to as African Mahogany, a tree native to West Africa. Created by Charles Gaines with collaborating architects TOLO Architecture, the sculpture, which people may enter and walk through, contains nine custom made chains weighing over 1,600 pounds each running its length overhead. Eight of the chains are representative of the pace of the currents in New York Harbor, while a ninth central chain moves more quickly, recalling the pace of ship and barge traffic that has traveled the city’s waterways for centuries. The overall effect of the weight and motion of the chains produces a rhythmic, undulating loop, evocative of the sounds of New York Harbor at the entrance to the Hudson River, known to the area’s Indigenous residents the Lenape as Mahicantuck, the river that runs two ways. Starting during the Dutch and British occupations, this waterway near present-day lower Manhattan would become an economic pillar of the transatlantic slave trade and seed the system of racial capitalism foundational to the United States. Facing the Statue of Liberty — an international symbol of benevolence and human rights, distinguished by the abolitionist iconography of a broken shackle and chain at her right foot—Moving Chains calls attention to the nation’s economic, judicial, and political frameworks that continue the legacy of slavery today.
To accompany Moving Chains, Creative Time and Governors Island Arts will present a conference on abolition and the limits of the law on the Island this Spring 2023, reconsidering legal and cultural definitions of freedom and the unfinished project of abolition. Bringing together an interdisciplinary group of thinkers, the accompanying programs will ask, how can liberation be defined outside of the confines of slavery and racial capitalism? What does freedom look like? What tactics are necessary to get there? Who is leading us in this work?
On the occasion of Moving Chains, Black Gotham Experience, a project that reimagines spaces directly impacted by the African Diaspora established by artist and historian Kamau Ware, will offer an audio tour of the pre-colonial, colonial, and post-colonial patterns that have informed a centuries-long relationship with what are known today as the East and Hudson Rivers and New York Harbor. Access to the tour will be available throughout the pathway to Moving Chains via QR code and on both the Creative Time and Governors Island Arts websites.
ABOUTTHEAMERICANMANIFEST
Sited within two key cities whose histories have shaped the identity of America, this project invites the public to consider New York and Cincinnati’s waterways’ in both upholding slavery and securing liberation, a duality that challenges reductive narratives of the history of slavery in America, and contributes to the ongoing dialogue about systems and cycles of racism, extraction, and oppression experienced today.
PROJECTSUPPORT
Charles Gaines: The American Manifest is made possible in New York and Cincinnati by the visionary support of the Ford Foundation, Lambent Foundation Fund, a fund of Tides Foundation, the Mellon Foundation, VIA Art Fund, FotoFocus, The Stavros Niarchos Foundation, Charina Endowment Fund, Donald A. Pels Charitable Trust, the Jacques and Natasha Gelman Foundation, Morgan Stanley, Wave Pool, and mediaThe Foundation, inc.
Major support is provided by Hauser & Wirth, Suzanne and Bob Cochran, Marie Douglas, Karl Iagnemma and Ann-Kristen Lund, Jacob and Deborah Kotzubei, Jon Neidich, Bob and Renee Parsons, Sanjeev Rathi, Eric Richter, Waddell Family Foundation, Jed Walentas, Christopher Walker, Margaret Wang, Debi and Steven Wisch, and additional anonymous donors.
We are also grateful for the support of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA); public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) in partnership with the City Council and Mayor Eric Adams; and the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature.
PROJECTTEAM
Charles Gaines’s Moving Chains was developed in collaboration with TOLO Architecture, as well as numerous production partners in its design and construction including, engineering and mechanical design by AOA; installation and build by Torsilieri & Sons; sound engineering by Arup; and fabrication work by Stronghold Industries and Rozell Industries.
ABOUTCHARLESGAINES
A pivotal figure in the field of conceptual art, Charles Gaines’s body of work engages formulas and systems that interrogate relationships between the objective and the subjective realms. Using a generative approach to create a series of works in a variety of mediums, he has built a bridge between the early conceptual artists of the 1960s and 1970s and subsequent generations of artists pushing the limits of conceptualism today. Gaines lives and works in Los Angeles. He recently retired from the CalArts School of Art, where he was on faculty for over 30 years and established a fellowship to provide critical scholarship support for Black students in the M.F.A. Art program. He has been the subject of numerous exhibitions in the United States and around the world, most notably a mid-career survey at the Pomona College Museum of Art and the Pitzer College Art Gallery in Claremont CA, as well as a museum survey of his Gridwork at The Studio Museum, Harlem NY, and Hammer Museum, Los Angeles CA. His work has also been presented at the 1975 Whitney Biennial and the Venice Biennale in 2007 and 2015. An exhibition of his work is currently on long term view at Dia:Beacon in New York. In addition to his artistic practice, Gaines has published several essays on contemporary art, including ‘Theater of Refusal: Black Art and Mainstream Criticism’ (University of California, Irvine, 1993) and ‘The New Cosmopolitanism’ (California State University, Fullerton, 2008). In 2019, Gaines received the 60th Edward MacDowell Medal. He was inducted into the National Academy of Design’s 2020 class of National Academicians; as well as the American Academy of Arts and Letters in May 2022. In January 2023, Gaines will be the subject of a major one person exhibition of new work at Hauser & Wirth New York.
The Trust for Governors Island and the Friends of Governors Island today announced the return of Pumpkin Point, a free annual pumpkin patch and fall festival on Governors Island. Located in historic Nolan Park, Pumpkin Point will bring over 1,000 pumpkins of all shapes and sizes to the Island’s historic district, transforming the idyllic setting along with its naturally stunning fall foliage into a delightfully autumnal escape with free programs and activities for visitors of all ages. Visitors are invited to pick out their own pumpkins (free with suggested donation) on the weekends of October 22 – 23 and October 29 – 30, 2022, from 10am to 5pm.
“Fall is the perfect time to come explore Governors Island – from beautiful fall foliage to a free pumpkin patch to exciting programming, there is something for everyone,” said Clare Newman, President and CEO of the Trust for Governors Island. “We invite all New Yorkers to hop on the ferry and take in the changing seasons!”
This year’s festivities will include plenty of free fall moments, pumpkin painting, and crafting activities all taking place October 22 – 23 and 29 – 30, as well as a rotating schedule of special events and performances from Rising Sun Performance Company, WonderSpark Puppets, Drag Story Hour, Brooklyn Magic Shop, Flying Leap Productions in collaboration with Governors Island tenant Beam Center, the National Park Service, and more to be announced. A full schedule of each weekend’s events can be found online at www.govisland.org/pumpkin-point. Trick or treating also returns to Pumpkin Point this year on Sunday, October 30 — costumes encouraged. Food will be available for purchase onsite from Governors Island vendors each weekend.
Pumpkins left over from Pumpkin Point will be donated to local organizations fighting hunger in New York City, or composted on Governors Island by Earth Matter, which runs a Compost Learning Center at the Urban Farm on Governors Island.
“Each year, this magnificent free public event brings together people from all over New York City to enjoy the fall atmosphere here on Governors Island — one of the Island’s most magical times,” said Danny DiMarino, Senior Manager, Volunteer & Visitor Engagement at the Friends of Governors Island. “We cannot wait to welcome visitors to pick up some pumpkins, enjoy free programs, take in the crisp autumn air and changing leaves, and bask in the most magical time on Governors Island.”
In addition to Pumpkin Point, visitors can enjoy a roster of new events and activities all month long: Governors Island will participate in Forest for All NYC’s inaugural City of Forest Day with a volunteer activity and guided tree walk on October 15; Lower Manhattan Cultural Council’s Arts Center at Governors Island, open Fridays through Sundays through the end of October, will hold their monthly Take Care Series on October 16; FAD Market will hold their final fall pop-up on October 15 and 16; NYCRUNS will hold their annual Haunted Island 5K and 10K race on October 29; Governors Island Arts’ Organizations in Residence continue to present exhibitions and events in Nolan Park and Colonels Row through the end of October; QCNY Spa is open daily with dozens of wellness experiences and two large pools; and more. See a full event calendar at www.govisland.org/things-to-do.
Pumpkin Point is co-presented by the Trust for Governors Island and the Friends of Governors Island. Generous support for the event is provided by Nickelodeon, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and Intrepid Productions.
The young trees of Hammock Grove in the foreground, with the older trees of the North Island surrounding Liggett Hall in the background.
Guest post by Malcolm Gore, Arborist at the Trust for Governors Island
In the Winter and Spring of 2022, the Trust for Governors Island conducted a survey of all trees on Governors Island to better understand the diversity, health, and longevity of our unique urban forest. The Trust received a grant from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation in 2021 to complete this survey, and contracted Davey Resource Group, a nationally respected tree company, to conduct the survey and create a Community Forest Management Plan for this crucial canopy resource situated in the middle of New York Harbor.
Why survey our trees? It’s critical that we have the full picture of the Island’s tree canopy to make sure we are the best stewards we can be, ensuring our trees survive — and thrive — for years to come. Governors Island is home to almost 3,500 trees (3,496 to be exact) comprising 123 different species. Of these trees, 97% are in either fair, good, or excellent condition — meaning they will continue to provide countless benefits to the many human and non-human visitors of Governors Island for years to come. Before diving into the specific benefits provided by our arboreal friends, let’s take a look at the diversity of this island forest.
London Plane Trees, with their distinctive white bark and arching branches, are the most plentiful tree on the Island as the 422 individuals represent 12% of the total tree population on Governors Island. They also account for a whopping 54% of the total leaf cover on the island, since most of them are mature trees that were planted when Robert Moses was NYC Parks Commissioner (while we aren’t sure the extent to which he had a say in the trees planted on Governors Island, London Plane Trees sprung up in huge numbers across the city during this time period— it seems they were his favorite tree). Having a single tree take up 12% of the canopy does come with some risk — if a new disease that affected London Plane Trees were to sweep through New York, Governors Island would lose a lot of its canopy. This disease risk is precisely why the Trust is actively planting many different native tree species that will make our urban forest more resilient.
Coming in second are Swamp White Oaks, with 202 individuals that comprise 6% of the total, followed by 150 of both Northern Red Oaks and River Birches. Rounding out the top five are the 120 Sweetgums that call the Island home. These native tree species are vitally important to bird and insect populations, as many types of caterpillars (AKA baby bird food) feed on their leaves in the spring and summer.
Additionally, the majority of these trees are young and, as they grow and mature, will provide more habitat and food for the plethora of fauna that visit the Island every year.
Photo by Sarma Ozols
Biodiversity isn’t the only important thing to consider when maintaining a healthy tree canopy; the age diversity of the Island’s tree population is also important. Mature trees provide more habitat and shade, but are also riskier given their greater bulk and surface area to catch windstorms. The below chart represents the relative age of Governors Island’s trees as compared to the ideal to sustain a healthy forest.
Age breakdown of Governors Island's trees as compared to the ideal, compiled by Davey Resource Group, Inc.
As you can see, Governors Island’s tree canopy contains nearly double the amount of recommended young trees — this is largely due to all of the trees planted within the last five years in the Island’s award-winning park space. With proper care and time, these young trees should develop into established ones as soon as 2024, and this new urban forest will become more robust and self-sufficient.
Currently, only about 91 acres of Governors Island’s 172 acres are considered shaded, and the vast majority of that is in the Island’s Historic District under those 422 London Plane Trees. As the young oaks, sweetgums, and birches grow and mature on the South Island, more of the Island will experience the cooling benefits of tree shade, thus ensuring that the island becomes a place to escape the city heat in upcoming summers.
Besides shade, what other benefits do these 3,500 trees provide for New Yorkers? For one, trees are experts at removing pollution from the air. The Island’s forest removes 1,160 pounds of air pollutants annually, improving the air quality and lung health of people in the surrounding area. The more trees in a given area, the better the air quality which translates to reduced rates of asthma and stress, and improved cognition.
Trees also benefit the health of the planet by storing carbon. The trees of Governors Island contain approximately 1,245 tons of stored carbon, and every year they capture and sequester an additional 22 tons. Mature trees store more carbon that younger ones, simply because they have more surface area and larger root systems. Every year, trees grow a dense network of small feeder roots, made of carbon, that will die and be turned into organic matter in the late fall. The larger the tree, the more feeder roots they grow each year, and the more carbon they sequester underground.
This is just one reason why the Trust is dedicated to maintaining the health and longevity of as many mature trees as possible, and is taking steps to reduce the upper canopy of at-risk trees so their roots systems can continue to capture and store carbon for many years to come.
In addition to storing carbon, trees can help mitigate the effects of climate change by reducing storm damage and runoff. Tree roots act as giant sponges, soaking up vast quantities of water that could quickly turn into toxic runoff, and the canopy intercepts deluges of rain that would otherwise hit the ground with force and cause compaction or flash floods. On Governors Island, the canopy prevents up to 378,000 gallons of runoff annually, improving the soil of our park space and preventing pollutants from contaminating New York Harbor.
All the data resulting from this survey is incredibly valuable to the Trust for Governors Island, as it will help inform decisions on tree planting, park maintenance, construction projects, and programming events. The 3,500 trees on Governors Island are a vital resource to the people of New York, and the Trust is committed to ensuring that this crucial urban forest remains healthy and resilient for many years to come. To learn more about urban forests and trees, come to Governors Island on October 15 for our City of Forest Day event — including a special volunteer activity and a tree walking tour around the Island. Click here to learn more and register.
September 19 – 25, 2022, marks the fourteenth annual Climate Week NYC, the biggest global climate event of its kind — an entire week dedicated to taking action in the face of climate change to ensure a better, more sustainable future. Organized by The Climate Group in conjunction with the United Nations General Assembly and the City of New York, this year’s programming centers around the theme “Getting it Done.”
The week is packed full of events — both virtual and in-person — held by a host of leading climate organizations, including some Governors Island partners and tenants. Check out the full schedule of events online at climateweeknyc.org.
Whether it’s through monumental public art commissions that engage directly with the climate crisis, the climate solutions literally built into the Island’s award-winning, 43-acre park, or the vibrant community of tenants and partner organizations leading climate work in innovative and equitable ways, Governors Island is a hub for climate education, arts, culture, and other programming every week of the year. We look forward to further expanding opportunities for education and research, encouraging public engagement in the climate crisis, incubating equitable solutions, and growing NYC-based green jobs through the Center for Climate Solutions on Governors Island. Visit govisland.org/climate to learn more about this vision and follow along with us on social media all week long for a look into everything that helps make Governors Island a sustainable community.