The Brooklyn Navy Yard is once again turning one of its busiest corridors into an open-air gallery, unveiling three new public art installations that celebrate the borough’s creativity, industry and entrepreneurial spirit.

The Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation (BNYDC) announced its 2026 Public Art Commissions, a series of temporary installations on Flushing Avenue that will remain on display through early November. The projects — “BUILD THE FUTURE, Brooklyn: Layered Lenses and Brooklyn Becomes” — feature work from professional artists, graduate students and local high school students, reflecting the diverse creative voices that make Brooklyn unique.

The installations are part of BNYDC’s Public Art Program, which aims to activate public spaces, create welcoming entrances to the 300-acre campus and provide opportunities for artists at different stages of their career. The organization celebrated the new works during a public event on June 4 that brought together artists, entrepreneurs, visitors and community members.

Each installation is focused on the borough’s “unique creative and industrial identity.”Photo courtesy of Public Arts Commission

Lindsay Greene, president and CEO of BNYDC, said the installation reflects and “ingenuity” of the borough.

“Through our Public Art Program, we are creating opportunities for artists at every stage of their careers to engage with the public realm while celebrating the creativity, industry and entrepreneurial spirit that continue to shape Brooklyn’s future,” she said. “These installations enhance Flushing Avenue, while reinforcing the Navy Yard’s role as a place where creativity and innovation thrive.”

The 2026 commissions continue a public art initiative that began with temporary installations inside Buildings 77 and 92. The program expanded in 2021 with Atmosphere for Invention, a large-scale photo mesh installation stretching nearly three-quarters of a mile along Flushing Avenue, before officially launching as the Brooklyn Navy Yard Public Art Program in 2023.

Now entering its third year, the program continues to showcase Brooklyn’s industrial heritage while highlighting the borough’s future through contemporary art.

The three installations each highlight a different perspective on Brooklyn’s creative identity.
From young students, graduate-level artists and architects, the Brooklyn Navy Yard’s art installation spans decades and visions.Photo courtesy of Public Arts Commission

“BUILD THE FUTURE,” by Brooklyn artist and architect Peter Miller, spans 350 feet along the fence outside Building 3. Selected through the Brooklyn Forged open call, the installation uses handwoven strips of colored aluminum that shift in appearance as viewers pass by, symbolizing growth, transformation, and momentum.

At Building 92, “Brooklyn: Layered Lenses” by Pratt Institute graduate students Tanvi Shaha and Joris Van Helmond combines imagery from the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Prospect Park and Coney Island. Created through Pratt’s Project in the Public Realm course, the installation uses layered vinyl and acrylic panels to explore the connections between Brooklyn’s neighborhoods, public spaces and communities.

The installations at the Brooklyn Navy Yard are available through November 2026.Photo courtesy of Public Arts Commission

The final installation, Brooklyn Becomes, features artwork by students from McKinney Secondary School of the Arts. Nineteen pieces were selected from 33 submissions for a 100-foot photo mesh display along Flushing Avenue, presenting students’ visions of Brooklyn’s future through themes including community, diversity, technology and discovery.

The installations will remain on view through early November, continuing the Navy Yard’s mission of using public art to celebrate Brooklyn’s creative community and industrial heritage.