{"id":316010,"date":"2026-08-07T13:04:44","date_gmt":"2026-08-07T13:04:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/316010\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T13:04:44","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T13:04:44","slug":"reclaimed-plastic-sculptures-transforming-brooklyn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/316010\/","title":{"rendered":"Reclaimed Plastic Sculptures Transforming Brooklyn"},"content":{"rendered":"

Monumental Artworks Find New Home Along Gowanus Canal<\/p>\n

Jen Lewin<\/a>\u2019s stunning sculptures<\/a>, The Ursas, have traveled from the ephemeral desert of Burning Man<\/a> to a permanent residence along Brooklyn\u2019s Gowanus Canal. Installed at Nevins Landing<\/a> on August 1, the sculptures stand as striking landmarks amid a neighborhood undergoing significant transformation as the cityscape evolves. Developed by Fogarty Finger<\/a> and landscaped by Field Operations<\/a>, this area is a pivotal part of the larger Gowanus Wharf campus<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Constellations Meet Environmental Art<\/p>\n

The Ursas draws inspiration from the Ursa Major and Ursa Minor constellations. The larger sculpture, Ursa Major, towers at 30 feet, crafted from reclaimed ocean plastic. Enter its mirrored chamber to find illustrations<\/a> of extinct species from the IUCN Red List. In contrast, the 13-foot Ursa Minor dazzles with infinity mirrors and programmable LEDs, offering a dynamic visual experience.<\/p>\n

\"WorkersWorkers on a lift install Jen Lewin\u2019s The Ursas, a striking geometric animal sculpture, in an urban setting surrounded by high-rise buildings and construction scaffolding.An Artistic Response to Environmental Change<\/p>\n

\u201cJen Lewin explains, \u201cThe Ursas emerged from my study of the melting Ross Ice Shelf during The Last Ocean project.\u201d This work symbolizes both the reality of environmental change and a call to action. While Ursa Minor seeks the North Star like a beacon, Ursa Major memorializes lost species through its design.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re interested in art that addresses environmental themes, you might enjoy exploring the intersection of climate change and wildlife<\/a> for a broader environmental perspective.<\/p>\n

\"ConstructionConstruction workers install two large geometric bear sculptures from Jen Lewin\u2019s The Ursas outdoors in an urban area, with modern buildings and a forklift visible in the background.Brooklyn\u2019s Waterfront Changes: Defining a New Era for Gowanus<\/p>\n

The installation<\/a> marks a significant shift for Gowanus, integrating public art<\/a> into the neighborhood\u2019s evolution. As some of the first artworks to define the Gowanus Wharf campus, The Ursas highlight the area\u2019s transition from industrial roots to a blend of housing, parks, and civic spaces during this period of transformation.<\/p>\n

\"WorkersWorkers in safety vests install Jen Lewin\u2019s The Ursas, a large geometric animal sculpture, next to a wrapped sculpture on a city waterfront construction site.<\/p>\n

Transported across the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge and hoisted over the Union Street Bridge, these sculptures are now integral to Brooklyn\u2019s urban landscape. As the waterfront experiences its metamorphosis, what started in the Nevada<\/a> desert has become a daily sight in the city.<\/p>\n

For more on how public art and urban spaces can coexist, take a look at Henrique Oliveira\u2019s \u2018Corupira\u2019 installation<\/a>, which also merges art with its environment to tell a meaningful story.<\/p>\n

Source: design-milk.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Frequently asked questions What are Jen Lewin\u2019s Ursas sculptures made from?<\/p>\n

The Ursa Major sculpture is crafted from reclaimed ocean plastic, while Ursa Minor incorporates infinity mirrors and programmable LEDs.<\/p>\n

Where are the Ursas sculptures located?<\/p>\n

The Ursas sculptures are located along Brooklyn\u2019s Gowanus Canal at Nevins Landing.<\/p>\n

What inspired Jen Lewin\u2019s Ursas sculptures?<\/p>\n

Jen Lewin\u2019s Ursas sculptures were inspired by her study of the melting Ross Ice Shelf during The Last Ocean project.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Monumental Artworks Find New Home Along Gowanus Canal Jen Lewin\u2019s stunning sculptures, The Ursas, have traveled from the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":316011,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[98,100,99,9,24,63],"class_list":["post-316010","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-brooklyn","tag-brooklyn","tag-brooklyn-headlines","tag-brooklyn-news","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-city","tag-nyc"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/316010","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=316010"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/316010\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/316011"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=316010"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=316010"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=316010"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}