The Ark — Multiple

“[These sculptures] capture an animal’s inherent beauty, a physical manifestation of instinct and survival. There are also sculptures of animals that personify truths within human life that are best approached indirectly because they are rooted in the sublime: wordless wonder and terror.” – Eric Fischl

A sweeping group exhibition composed entirely of animal sculptures that foster a sense of connection and awe channeled through artists’ eyes, The Ark brings together 90 sculptures and installations in myriad materials. The Ark refers directly to the myth of the Deluge, an event of epic scale that becomes a metaphor for the present moment, where environmental and social upheaval converge. Throughout the exhibition—experienced in the round, in close proximity and at monumental scale—the animals function as both protagonists and interlocutors. Rather than framing environmental themes through notions of crisis and urgency alone, the exhibition centers on relationships and intimate encounters—the menagerie assembled in The Ark bears witness to forces that threaten our existence while fostering the instinctive human tendency to care for vulnerable beings and acknowledge their unique contributions to our collective life on this planet.

Originally presented at The Church in Sag Harbor, a historical whaling town, The Ark takes on new resonance in Brooklyn on the Gowanus Canal. Situated in the former “Batcave” next to a Superfund site, Powerhouse Arts is shaped by Gowanus’ history of environmental destruction, postindustrial transformation, and contemporary reinvention. This iteration of the exhibition foregrounds questions of environmental stewardship, urban ecosystems, and the evolving relationship between human and nonhuman life within dense metropolitan settings. At Powerhouse Arts—a center for fabrication, material exploration, and technical innovation—these themes are further amplified through the institution’s role as a refuge for creative vision. The Ark reflects a range of materiality, technique, and artistic gesture, foregrounding process, creativity, and the labor of artistic production central to the organization’s mission.

Newly featured artists in the Powerhouse Arts presentation will include: François-Xavier Lalanne, Canuppa Hanska Luger, Wangechi Mutu, Nohemí Pérez, Rob Pruitt, Toshio Sasaki, Nari Ward, Celia Vásquez Yui, among others.

The Ark ’s debut also marks Powerhouse Arts’ first major public exhibition and inaugurates a new year-round exhibitions program led by Vice President of Curatorial and Arts Programs Liz Munsell and Associate Curator Constanza Valenzuela.