Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy
After two rounds of searching for the mysterious bronze sculptures scattered throughout Tompkins Square Park (see links below), we finally heard from one of the artists responsible for them.
After our public invitation for the person (or people) behind the installations to get in touch, one artist agreed to meet with me for a walk through the park — with a few conditions.
The artist would remain anonymous, offer only limited details about the work and leave much of the mystery intact.
The artist, an East Village resident who spends considerable time in Tompkins, also wanted to acknowledge a collaborator who helped create roughly half the sculptures: "Special thanks to the talent who helped cast the first series and much of the second."
We're hoping to speak with that person, too.
During their walk, the artist guided me to several pieces I had missed in our previous installments, including a fruit punch-themed water-access manhole cover modeled after a nearby NYC Water Supply cover.
Other discoveries included a banana peel, dog bone, walnut, a second condom in its wrapper, matches, additional cigarette butts, an empty gum packet and a partially concealed glassine envelope.
Some were so well integrated into their surroundings that I had walked past them countless times without noticing.
The artist emphasized that the work is noncommercial, unbranded and available for everyone to enjoy. Just as important, they wanted to preserve the mystery surrounding its creation and placement.
Despite plenty of questions, here's what the artist agreed to share.
Which sculptures were done first?
The first series was the condom (there are two of them), can, pizza, dog bone, cigarette pack with four cigarettes, and the banana peel.
How long ago was the first sculpture installed?
The first series installation occurred over the course of several days and was completed in the early hours of the morning on Sept. 19, 2025.
How are these treasures created? Are they bronzed? Lost-wax cast bronze? Patinaed? Sealed?
All sculptures are bronze and made in NYC using the lost-wax casting process. They all have a patina and are sealed.
The artwork is accessible to everyone. Was that an important part of the process for you?
Tompkins Square Park is the people's park. These sculptures are made for the people by the people. If you don't like 'em, then you're the wrong people.
The artist did offer a few additional hints. More treasures may be on the way, though there's no telling when. And future installations might turn up near Tompkins Square Park rather than within its boundaries.
I also watched as the artist carefully examined, documented and collected an object that could become a future bronze sculpture.
At one point, I got to hold a sculpture that hadn't made it into the park and compare it with the original object. The bronze was surprisingly heavy, with a metallic scent and perhaps a trace of wax.
And there's finally an answer to one lingering question from Part 2: The shoeprint in the bronze dog poop is, indeed, from a Timberland boot.
Despite all the new discoveries and details, the artist left plenty unanswered — which seems to be exactly the point.
There may yet be a Part 4.
In the meantime, keep looking down.
Previously on EV Grieve:
1 comment:
I've really been enjoying searching for these pieces around the park. Just when I thought maybe I'd found them all, there's more! Kudos to the artists for these installations hiding in plain sight.
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