WEEKEND UPDATE: 06.25.2026
Hang Loose at Union Square Plaza with Bead Maze
A collaborative project between Union Square Partnership (USP), the FIT’s School of Art and Design, Scale Rule, and the New York City Department of Transportation’s Art Program (NYC DOT Art), Bead Maze is a large-scale sculptural work inspired by the classic bead maze toy often found in pediatricians’ waiting rooms. Conceptualized by seven seniors who have now graduated from the college’s Fine Arts program and realized by design collective Scale Rule with renowned architectural studio Grimshaw and engineers Schlaich Bergermann Partner (sbp), the installation is proudly supported by philanthropist Bob Fisch.
Walking into the work, one becomes both participant and observer. Oversized beads slide along winding tracks as people weave through the structure, reaching, bending, and looking upward. The colors echo the nearby Greenmarket, while the curving forms recall the transit routes that converge beneath Union Square. What might have been a simple exercise in nostalgia becomes something richer: a meditation on movement, play, and the ways public space can invite strangers into a moment of collective delight.
In a city that often urges us to hurry on to the next thing, Bead Maze asks us to pause. It rewards curiosity, encourages interaction, and reminds us that wonder remains one of the most democratic experiences urban life can offer.
Through November at Union Square Plaza, South side of Union Square , between 13th and 14th Streets at University Place, NY Info
June 25-30: KIOSKO and more offer Venezuelan vibe at Henrique Faria Gallery
There are some places whose significance lies not in their scale, but in the exchanges they make possible. KIOSKO is one such place. Borrowing its form and spirit from the neighborhood kiosks that have long occupied a quiet but essential role in Venezuelan daily life, this project transforms a familiar site of commerce into a platform for memory, conversation, and cultural continuity. The nomadic KIOSKO, now located on the Upper East Side, is both destination and crossroads: a modest structure with an expansive reach. Above: KIOSKO installation at NADA 2025
At once exhibition, gathering place, informal archive, and point of distribution, KIOSKO invites visitors to encounter Venezuelan contemporary art not as something fixed behind institutional walls, but as a living practice carried by artists, communities, and the movements of diaspora. Presenting small paintings, prints, books, zines, vinyl records, casettes, postcards and other printed matter, KIOSKO create a dense, browsable field of objects, images, and ideas —one built through care, collaboration, and the conviction that culture survives by being shared. Click for info about the artists.
The current iteration of KIOSKO is presented in conjunction with the gallery exhibition Venezuelan Cultural Diplomacy at Henrique Faria, 35 East 67th Street, New York, NY Info
Saturday, June 27, 5:30-7:30pm: If you ‘d rather hit the beach….
In the Rockaways, Beach 67 offers one of New York City's most appealing combinations of ocean recreation and neighborhood character. Here, surfers share the Atlantic with swimmers and sun-seekers, while the broad sandy shore and boardwalk invite long walks accompanied by the sound of breaking waves. As one of the city's designated surfing beaches, Beach 67 has cultivated a relaxed, welcoming culture that feels worlds away from Manhattan.
This weekend the Public Art Fund presents Between Tides, their new exhibition of sculptural ping-pong tables on Rockaway Beach, Beach 67. Watch players face off across all six artist-designed ping-pong tables, meet participating artists, enjoy live music by Dark Tide Brass Band (@darktidebrass), and be among the first to experience the
exhibition.Hosted by ping-pong MC Ryan Willard (@ryywillfilm), the afternoon will also feature complimentary treats from La Newyorkina (@lanewyorkina) and Puff Delights (@puffdelights), plus free paddle and ball rentals so you can jump into the action yourself. Drop by, play a game, explore the artwork, and discover new ways to experience art, participation, and fun!
The opening celebration is located at Beach 67 on Rockaway Beach. For transportation to Beach 67, the closest subway station is the A at Beach 67. Other public transportation includes the NYC Ferry, bus lines, or the Long Island Railroad’s Far Rockaway Line to Far Rockaway Station. Click for info about the artists and transit details. Between Tides is curated by Public Art Fund Associate Curator of Public Practice Gabriela López Dena.
If you’re heading north for Upstate Art Weekend…
If you’re heading to the Catskills for Upstate Art Weekend and want to extend your visit, check out this week’s 36 Hours in the New York Times. It covers the top features to visit in the “Borscht Belt,” from high peaks to night life. Here are just a few examples of what you’ll discover:
Kaaterskill Falls, an enchanting, two-tiered waterfall cascading 260 feet, looks much as it did in the 19th century when painted by influential Hudson River School artists like Thomas Cole.
The Catskill Art Space re-opened in 2022, showcasing a range of contemporary artworks from pillow-like plaster sculptures by the local artist Ian McMahon to a meditative light installation by James Turrell.
The Phoenicia Diner is a classic roadside pit-stop with an all-day menu of outstanding diner fare, including fluffy buttermilk pancakes and cast-iron skillets of scrambled eggs with smoked trout, Parmesan cheese and chives.
Fresh Cut at Bookstein Projects
Summer exhibitions often feel like bouquets gathered from many gardens, and Fresh Cut at Bookstein Projects embraces that spirit with particular charm. Bringing together more than fifty artists from different generations, the exhibition celebrates the enduring pleasures of flowers, still lifes, and scenes drawn from everyday experience. Historic masters and contemporary voices mingle easily, revealing how familiar subjects can continually be renewed through color, composition, and imagination. Like a freshly arranged centerpiece, Fresh Cut offers visitors a vibrant reminder that beauty and artistic invention are always in season. Art work [from top down] by Susan Walp, Jimmy Wright and Ruth Miller. Click to view more
Through July 24 at Bookstein Projects, 39 East 78th Street, New York, NY
