The everyday artwork hiding in plain sight in Tompkins Square Park

Photos and text by Stacie Joy 

Unexpected little treasures are scattered around Tompkins Square Park. 

And unless you're looking closely, you might walk right past them. I'm talking about tiny bronze sculptures of everyday litter that look like they belong on the ground. Except these are solid bronze, bolted or epoxied into place. 

I first learned about them when a friend asked if I knew about the miniature sculptures hidden throughout the park. I didn't! So we set out to find them. 

Our first discoveries included a crushed can, cigarette butts and a pack of gum. Intrigued, I went home and spent a good amount of time searching online for information about the artist or artists responsible. I found very little.

The next day, we were back at it, scouring the park for more. This time, we spotted a condiment packet and a cup with a lid and straw.

We started joking about what else we might find cast in bronze around the park. A syringe? A dime bag? A pack of cigarettes? A condom? 

Lo and behold, over the next few days, we found those too!

And there were more: a tiny airplane bottle of booze, a flattened water bottle, a bottle cap and even a slice of pepperoni pizza and an overturned paper plate.

All cast in bronze. All blending into the park's landscape. Rogue art sculptures hiding in plain sight.

I have no idea who created these sculptures, how long they've been here or when they were installed. 

So far, there's precious little information available online. Our search also brought a few encounters with some of the park's less artistic inhabitants, including several particularly hefty, dog-sized rats. 

And then there was this moment: I was crouched low to the ground, staring intently at the dirt and leaves for another miniature sculpture, when a clearly intoxicated guy on a nearby bench offered unexpected encouragement. 

"Yeah, sis, I see them too…" 

So, a little Tompkins Square Park mystery. Who is responsible for these tiny bronze tributes to the litter of everyday life? And how many more are out there?

If you're the artist — or know who's behind them — I'd love to hear from you. 

H/T to Hot Chocolate Jen.