{"id":259531,"date":"2026-06-08T19:12:18","date_gmt":"2026-06-08T19:12:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/259531\/"},"modified":"2026-06-08T19:12:18","modified_gmt":"2026-06-08T19:12:18","slug":"in-plain-sight-new-exhibition-at-brooklyn-army-terminal-reimagines-industrial-past-as-a-living-gallery-brooklyn-paper","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/259531\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018In Plain Sight:\u2019 New exhibition at Brooklyn Army Terminal reimagines industrial past as a living gallery \u2022 Brooklyn Paper"},"content":{"rendered":"

A former military base turned industrial hub is serving as a stage for contemporary art through \u201cIn Plain Sight,\u201d a new yearlong exhibition that brings large-scale, site-specific installations to Brooklyn Army Terminal<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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<\/a>\u2018s stewardship of the historic Sunset Park waterfront campus.<\/p>\n

Featuring works by 12 Brooklyn-based artists, \u201cIn Plain Sight\u201d explores the layered histories of Brooklyn\u2019s 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\u2019s connection to the site\u2019s active manufacturing community.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Public Art at BAT program is fundamentally rooted in honoring and integrating Brooklyn Army Terminal\u2019s (BAT) rich military past, present role as a modern industrial and creative hub, and its potential future,\u201d curator Debra Simon wrote in the exhibition catalog.<\/p>\n

\"\"\u2018Shared Rhythms\u2019 by Hyesu Lee is featured in Brooklyn Army Terminal\u2019s \u2018In Plain Sight\u2019 art show.Photo by Paul Frangipane \"\"\u2018Ancient Spat\u2019 by Z Behl is featured in Brooklyn Army Terminal\u2019s \u2018In Plain Sight\u2019 art show.Photo by Paul Frangipane<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cPublic Art at BAT celebrates this concentration of creative and entrepreneurial energy,\u201d she wrote. \u201cIt treats the space of the terminal and surrounding public spaces as a massive canvas that reflects this industrious spirit.\u201d<\/p>\n

The exhibition\u2019s title, \u201cIn Plain Sight,\u201d speaks to the artists\u2019 shared effort to reveal overlooked histories, hidden labor and the often-unseen processes that have shaped both the terminal and Brooklyn\u2019s waterfront. According to Simon, the artworks collectively \u201cshowcase the histories, emotions, perceptions and the obscured processes of creation that define this campus.\u201d<\/p>\n

She added that each artist engages with \u201cthe space between revelation and concealment,\u201d creating a dialogue between what is visible and what remains hidden.\n<\/p>\n

\"\"\u2018In Plain Sight\u2019 brings contemporary art into Brooklyn Army Terminal, activating both indoor and outdoor spaces with site-specific installations.Photo by Paul Frangipane \"\"\u2018In Plain Sight\u2019 brings contemporary art into Brooklyn Army Terminal, activating both indoor and outdoor spaces with site-specific installations.Photo by Paul Frangipane \"\"\u2018In Praise of Shadows\u2019 by LOT office for architecture is featured in Brooklyn Army Terminal\u2019s \u2018In Plain Sight\u2019 art show.Photo by Paul Frangipane<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis collaborative exhibition wouldn\u2019t have been possible if BAT and BWMM tenants hadn\u2019t 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,\u201d said Olivia Jia, planner and designer at WXY architecture + urban design. \u201cThe result is a public art program that reflects the spirit of the campuses.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.\n<\/p>\n

Among the featured installations is \u201cEchoes of the Current\u201d by Yuya Saito, whose sculptural practice merges natural movement with industrial structure. Saito describes his \u201cflow-chitecture\u201d approach as creating sculptures that \u201cintersect the organic movements of environment, nature, people, and energy with the rigidity of urban structures.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Brooklyn Army Terminal hosts \u2018In Plain Sight\u2019 an indoor and outdoor art show. The show is part of the site\u2019s Public Art at BAT program and features the works of 12 artists.Photo by Paul Frangipane \"\"\u2018Post Industrial Progression\u2019 by Nathan Kensinger is featured in Brooklyn Army Terminal\u2019s \u2018In Plain Sight\u2019 art show.Photo by Paul Frangipane<\/p>\n

Installed around the terminal\u2019s lobby columns, the work reimagines architectural elements as symbols of transformation. Saito said he sought \u201cto capture BAT\u2019s transformation from a historic military waterfront into a modern creative hub through three-dimensional fluidity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Other featured works include Gabrielle Vitollo\u2019s \u201cUndercurrents,\u201d a sculptural installation of painted stainless-steel forms inspired by Brooklyn\u2019s industrial and marine landscapes; Avani Patel\u2019s \u201cMovement in Nature,\u201d reflective sculptural creatures that respond to shifting light and changing seasons; and DB Lampman\u2019s \u201cWe Are Swirling and Tethered,\u201d a harbor-inspired installation that references tidal rhythms, migration and ecological interconnection.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\"\"\u2018Still Lives\u2019 by Zhidong Zhang is featured in Brooklyn Army Terminal\u2019s \u2018In Plain Sight\u2019 art show.Photo by Paul Frangipane \"\"\u2018In Transit\u2019 by Dana Bell is featured in Brooklyn Army Terminal\u2019s \u2018In Plain Sight\u2019 art show.Photo by Paul Frangipane<\/p>\n

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

\u201cAt first glance, the works represented in \u2018In Plain Sight\u2019 possess a distinct aesthetic, material, and narrative focus,\u201d she said. \u201cHowever, the highly personal interpretations of the past, present and future of both BAT and the Brooklyn waterfront unite the artwork.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn Plain Sight\u201d<\/a> will remain on view at Brooklyn Army Terminal in Sunset Park through 2026. Admission is free and open to the public.<\/p>\n