{"id":850240,"date":"2026-08-08T05:14:20","date_gmt":"2026-08-08T05:14:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/850240\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T05:14:20","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T05:14:20","slug":"a-menagerie-of-animal-sculptures-by-50-artists-populate-the-ark-colossal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/850240\/","title":{"rendered":"A Menagerie of Animal Sculptures by 50+ Artists Populate ‘The Ark’ \u2014 Colossal"},"content":{"rendered":"

The term \u201cark\u201d invariably conjures images of the monumental boat onto which pairs of animals were stewarded prior to a cataclysmic, biblical flood. It\u2019s a reference that feels apt amid the climate crisis and our planet\u2019s rising sea levels<\/a>, although in this case, the melting ice caps and creeping tides are down to us. The large-scale exhibition titled The Ark at Powerhouse Arts<\/a> asks, will we care for the future of our planet the way we care for the animals we love?<\/p>\n

The presentation draws directly on the myth if The Deluge from Genesis<\/a>, \u201can event of epic scale that becomes a metaphor for the present moment, where environmental and social upheaval converge,\u201d says a statement. \u201cThroughout the exhibition\u2014experienced in the round, in close proximity, and at monumental scale\u2014the animals function as both protagonists and interlocutors.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"an<\/a>Installation view of \u2018The Ark\u2019 at Powerhouse Arts, Summer 2026. Photo by Xavier Petromelis<\/p>\n

Colossal readers may recognize the work of Kiki Smith<\/a>, Nichola Theakston<\/a>, Anthony Theakston<\/a>, Wangechi Mutu<\/a>, Jeffrey Gibson<\/a>, and more. In all, more than 50 artists are represented through 90 sculptures and installations. The pieces run the gamut of materials, from wood and stone carvings to cast bronze and resin. A group of pigeons by Maurizio Cattelan perch on structural beams and both Nichola and Anthony Theakstons\u2019 bronzes speak to the sacredness of animals, while John O\u2019Reilly\u2019s rendition of an emaciated female dog crouching over her pup plucks a heart-rending chord. Throughout the exhibition, emotional evocations span joy, amazement, humor, trepidation, and grief.<\/p>\n

Curated by artist Eric Fischl<\/a>, the show was first staged at The Church<\/a> in Sag Harbor, a historical whaling town. Now in Brooklyn, the\u00a0The Ark\u00a0lands in the former warehouse space of Powerhouse Arts, a nonprofit dedicated to fabrication and production, on the Gowanus Canal.\u00a0The building is known as the \u201cBatcave\u201d and sits adjacent to what\u2019s designated by the Environmental Protection Agency as a Superfund<\/a> site, a heavily polluted area in need of concerted cleanup efforts.<\/p>\n

The physical location and its surroundings present a post-industrial background to a show about nature, the environment, and material exploration. Visitors are invited to walk through a room filled with animals from floor to ceiling, invoking elements of surprise and wonder. Powerhouse Arts adds, \u201cRather than framing environmental themes through notions of crisis and urgency alone, the exhibition centers on relationships and intimate encounters.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Ark continues through August 30 in Brooklyn. Find more on the organization\u2019s Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"a<\/a>John O\u2019Reilly, \u201cIntertwined\u201d (2012), white: resin graphite; black: resin porcelain and bone powder, 24 x 21 1\/2 x 31 1\/2 inches (white dog), 5 x 21 1\/4 x 16 1\/4 inches (black dog). Photo by Gary Mamay, courtesy of Eric Fischl and April Gornik<\/p>\n

\"an<\/a>Deborah Butterfield. Installation view of \u2018The Ark\u2019 at Powerhouse Arts, Summer 2026. Photo by Xavier Petromelis<\/p>\n

\"a<\/a>William Kent, \u201cBittem and Beetle\u201d (1968), black Italian slate, 10 5\/8 x 17 1\/2 x 1\/4 inches. Photo by Cloe Poisson, courtesy of the William Kent Art Foundation<\/p>\n

\"a<\/a>Jeffrey Gibson. Installation view of \u2018The Ark\u2019 at Powerhouse Arts, Summer 2026. Photo by Xavier Petromelis<\/p>\n

\"an<\/a>Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, \u201cUrban Trickster\u201d (2021), cast bronze, 28 x 20 1\/2 x 24 inches. Image courtesy of the estate of Jaune Quick-to-See Smith and Garth Greenan<\/p>\n

\"a<\/a>Kate MccGwire. Installation view of \u2018The Ark\u2019 at Powerhouse Arts, Summer 2026. Photo by Xavier Petromelis<\/p>\n

\"a<\/a>Nichola Theakston, \u201cSacred Cow\u201d (2025), bronze, edition of 12, 16.5 x 26 x 8 inches. Courtesy of the artist<\/p>\n

\"a<\/a>Anthony Theakston, \u201cSpirit Owl\u201d (2025), bronze, 16 1\/2 x 10 x 2 1\/2 inches. Courtesy of the artist<\/p>\n

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