A former military base turned industrial hub is serving as a stage for contemporary art through “In Plain Sight,” a new yearlong exhibition that brings large-scale, site-specific installations to Brooklyn Army Terminal.

The exhibition, which opened June 4 with a public celebration attended by artists, community members and city officials, marked the 40th anniversary of the New York City Economic Development Corporation‘s stewardship of the historic Sunset Park waterfront campus.

Featuring works by 12 Brooklyn-based artists, “In Plain Sight” explores the layered histories of Brooklyn’s working waterfront while highlighting the creativity, labor and cultural diversity that continue to shape the neighborhood. Many of the large-scale indoor and outdoor installations were created using industrial materials sourced directly from Brooklyn Army Terminal tenants and makerspaces, reinforcing the exhibition’s connection to the site’s active manufacturing community.

“The Public Art at BAT program is fundamentally rooted in honoring and integrating Brooklyn Army Terminal’s (BAT) rich military past, present role as a modern industrial and creative hub, and its potential future,” curator Debra Simon wrote in the exhibition catalog.

‘Shared Rhythms’ by Hyesu Lee is featured in Brooklyn Army Terminal’s ‘In Plain Sight’ art show.Photo by Paul Frangipane ‘Ancient Spat’ by Z Behl is featured in Brooklyn Army Terminal’s ‘In Plain Sight’ art show.Photo by Paul Frangipane

Today, Brooklyn Army Terminal is home to more than 4,000 workers, entrepreneurs, manufacturers, makers and artists. Simon said the public art initiative was designed to reflect that unique ecosystem.

“Public Art at BAT celebrates this concentration of creative and entrepreneurial energy,” she wrote. “It treats the space of the terminal and surrounding public spaces as a massive canvas that reflects this industrious spirit.”

The exhibition’s title, “In Plain Sight,” speaks to the artists’ shared effort to reveal overlooked histories, hidden labor and the often-unseen processes that have shaped both the terminal and Brooklyn’s waterfront. According to Simon, the artworks collectively “showcase the histories, emotions, perceptions and the obscured processes of creation that define this campus.”

She added that each artist engages with “the space between revelation and concealment,” creating a dialogue between what is visible and what remains hidden.

‘In Plain Sight’ brings contemporary art into Brooklyn Army Terminal, activating both indoor and outdoor spaces with site-specific installations.Photo by Paul Frangipane ‘In Plain Sight’ brings contemporary art into Brooklyn Army Terminal, activating both indoor and outdoor spaces with site-specific installations.Photo by Paul Frangipane ‘In Praise of Shadows’ by LOT office for architecture is featured in Brooklyn Army Terminal’s ‘In Plain Sight’ art show.Photo by Paul Frangipane

The collaborative nature of the exhibition extended beyond artistic inspiration. Simon said several works were fabricated on-site with assistance from terminal tenants and members of the Brooklyn Wholesale Meat Market, creating partnerships between artists, fabricators, manufacturers and local businesses.

“This collaborative exhibition wouldn’t have been possible if BAT and BWMM tenants hadn’t lent their shop floors, donated materials, and contributed their time and expertise in order for these site-specific artworks to be realized, and for some to actually be fabricated on-site,” said Olivia Jia, planner and designer at WXY architecture + urban design. “The result is a public art program that reflects the spirit of the campuses.”

Like the neighborhood itself, the exhibition draws strength from a wide range of cultural influences, with artists whose personal histories span continents and generations of migration.

Among the featured installations is “Echoes of the Current” by Yuya Saito, whose sculptural practice merges natural movement with industrial structure. Saito describes his “flow-chitecture” approach as creating sculptures that “intersect the organic movements of environment, nature, people, and energy with the rigidity of urban structures.”

Brooklyn Army Terminal hosts ‘In Plain Sight’ an indoor and outdoor art show. The show is part of the site’s Public Art at BAT program and features the works of 12 artists.Photo by Paul Frangipane ‘Post Industrial Progression’ by Nathan Kensinger is featured in Brooklyn Army Terminal’s ‘In Plain Sight’ art show.Photo by Paul Frangipane

Installed around the terminal’s lobby columns, the work reimagines architectural elements as symbols of transformation. Saito said he sought “to capture BAT’s transformation from a historic military waterfront into a modern creative hub through three-dimensional fluidity.”

Other featured works include Gabrielle Vitollo’s “Undercurrents,” a sculptural installation of painted stainless-steel forms inspired by Brooklyn’s industrial and marine landscapes; Avani Patel’s “Movement in Nature,” reflective sculptural creatures that respond to shifting light and changing seasons; and DB Lampman’s “We Are Swirling and Tethered,” a harbor-inspired installation that references tidal rhythms, migration and ecological interconnection.

Additional works by Z Behl, Elana Herzog, Nathan Kensinger, Hyesu Lee, LOT Office for Architecture, Sheila Pepe, Jean Shin, and Zhidong Zhang examine themes ranging from labor and migration to ecology, food systems, industrial history, and the changing shoreline of New York Harbor.

‘Still Lives’ by Zhidong Zhang is featured in Brooklyn Army Terminal’s ‘In Plain Sight’ art show.Photo by Paul Frangipane ‘In Transit’ by Dana Bell is featured in Brooklyn Army Terminal’s ‘In Plain Sight’ art show.Photo by Paul Frangipane

While each artwork reflects a distinct artistic vision, Simon said the exhibition is ultimately united by its exploration of place and memory.

“At first glance, the works represented in ‘In Plain Sight’ possess a distinct aesthetic, material, and narrative focus,” she said. “However, the highly personal interpretations of the past, present and future of both BAT and the Brooklyn waterfront unite the artwork.”

“In Plain Sight” will remain on view at Brooklyn Army Terminal in Sunset Park through 2026. Admission is free and open to the public.