Kiki Smith, Sentry, 2020. © Kiki Smith, 2020. Image courtesy of Pace Gallery. Photograph by Richard Gary.
The Ark
Jun 11 – Aug 30, 2026
“[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, curated by artist Eric Fischl with Powerhouse Arts’s Eric Shiner, The Ark brings together ninety 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, animals function as both protagonists and interlocutors. Experienced in the round, in close proximity and at monumental scale, the sculptures foster a sense of connection and awe channeled through artists’ eyes. 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.
Mon: closed
Tues, closed
Wed: 12–7pm
Thurs: 12-7pm
Fri: 12–8pm
Sat: 11am–8pm
Sun: 11am–5pm
Timed tickets are available in advance or onsite. Last entry is 1 hour prior to closing.
Adults: $18
Seniors (65+): $12
Students (13+ w/ valid ID): $10
Military/Veterans: $12
Visitors with Disabilities: $12
Children (Ages 3-12): $5
Groups of 10 or more get 15% off their reservation.
Click "get tickets" above to make a reservation.
The Ark is on view in Powerhouse Arts' Grand Hall, a cavernous 22,517-square-foot, column-free room that once housed the turbines that provided electricity for Brooklyn's railroads and streetcars.
Address:
322 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215
Get detailed directions here.
PHA is committed to making art accessible to everyone. The venue offers wheelchair access, gender-neutral restrooms, and a quiet room for sensory breaks. Service animals are welcome. Contact us at info@powerhousearts.org for specific accommodation requests.
For media inquiries, including high-res imagery, please write to ellie@powerhousearts.org.
exhibition images
Daniel Firman, Le Sommeil en Forêt (The Sleep in the Forest), 2025. © Daniel Firman, 2025. Image courtesy of the artist.
Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, Urban Trickster, 2021. © Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, 2021. Image courtesy of the estate of Jaune Quick-to-See Smith and Garth Greenan.
Maurizio Cattelan, Ghosts, 2021. © Maurizio Cattelan, 2021. Photograph by Zeno Zotti. Image courtesy of the artist and Pirelli Hangar Bicocca, Milan.
Daisy Youngblood, Little Gorilla, 2020.. © Daisy Youngblood, 2020. Image courtesy of the artist and Salon 94.
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Nari Ward, G.O.A.T., again, Installation view on Socrates Sculpture Park, New York, April 29 - September 4, 2017. Courtesy the artist and Lehmann Maupin, New York, Seoul, and London. Photo by Nicholas Knight.
Celia Vasquez Yui, Armadillo, 2012. Photo credit: © Salon 94, Elisabeth Bernstein. Courtesy the artist, The Shipibo Conibo Center, NY, Salon 94, NY.
participating artists
Allan McCollum
b. 1944, Los Angeles
Anthony Theakston
b. 1965, Lincolnshire, England
Brendan Hesmondhalgh
b. 1973, Blackpool, England
Bruce Nauman
b. 1941, Fort Wayne, Indiana
Bryan Hunt
b. 1947, Terre Haute, Indiana
Candice Lin
b. 1977, Concord, Massachusetts
Cannupa Hanska Luger
b. 1979, Standing Rock Indian Reservation, North Dakota
Catherine Thiry
b. 1962, Brussels
Celia Vasquez Yui
b. 1960, Ucayali, Peru
Charles Ray
b. 1953, Chicago
Claudette Schreuders
b. 1973, Pretoria, South Africa
Daisy Youngblood
b. 1945, Asheville, North Carolina
Daniel Firman
b. 1966, Bron, France
Deborah Butterfield
b. 1949, San Diego
François-Xavier Lalanne
b. 1927, Agen, France
Jane Rosen
b. 1950, New York
Jaune Quick-to-See Smith
b. 1940, Flathead Reservation, Montana
Jean-Françios Gambino
b. 1966, Paris
Jeff Gipe
Jeff Gipeb. 1985, Arvada, Colorado
Jeffrey Gibson
b. 1972, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Jim Dine
b. 1935, Cincinnati
Joan Brown
b. 1938, San Francisco
John O'Reilly
b. 1979, Columbus, Ohio
Jörg Immendorf
b. 1945, Bleckede, Germany
Jude Griebel
b. 1978, Ottawa, Canada
Kate MccGwire
b. 1964, Norwich, United Kingdom
Kiki Smith
b. 1954, Nuremberg, Germany
Marcel Dzama
b. 1974, Winnipeg, Canada
Maurizio Cattelan
b. 1960, Padua, Italy
Mentawai People
ca. 1900, West Sumatra, Indonesia
Monica Banks
b. 1959, New York
Nari Ward
b. 1963, St. Andrew, Jamaica
Nichola Theakston
b. 1967, England, UK
Nicola Hicks
b. 1960, London
Nicole Cherubini
b. 1970, Boston
Nohemi Perez
b. 1964, Tibu, Colombia
Patrick Villas
b. 1961, Antwerp, Belgium
Raven Halfmoon
b. 1991, Norman, Oklahoma
Rob Pruitt
b. 1964, Washington
Rosemarie Trockel
b. 1952, Schwerte, Germany
Ryan Johnson
b. 1978, Karachi, Pakistan
Sarah Lucas
b. 1962, Holloway, London
Sherrie Levine
b. 1947, Hazleton, Pennsylvania
Spencer Tinkham
b. 1992, Chesapeake Bay, Virginia
Susan Rothenberg
b. 1945, Buffalo, New York
Thomas Deininger
b. 1970, Boston
Toshio Sasaki
b. 1946, Kyoto, Japan
Wangechi Mutu
b. 1972, Nairobi, Kenya
William Kent
b. 1919, Kansas City, Missouri
William Kentridge
b. 1955, Johannesburg
William Tucker
b. 1935, Cairo
related events
Crafternoon: Pop-Up Paper Cats & Creatures
Crafternoons are a series of free, drop-in art workshops for families, kids, and neighbors of all ages. Each month, we’ll roll up our sleeves and dive into fun, hands-on animal creations inspired by our first major public exhibition, The Ark.
Art Where You Are: Red Hook Art Project
Powerhouse Arts is joining the Red Hook Art Project for the launch of their exhibition I Am Not Broken, honoring Juneteenth and celebrating Black excellence, community, resilience, and strength. With support from Powerhouse Arts staff, participants will be guided through button-making and creative self-portrait activities that encourage expressions of identity, culture, and community pride.
Crafternoon: Sculptural Critters in Clay & Cardboard
Crafternoons are a series of free, drop-in art workshops for families, kids, and neighbors of all ages. Each month, we’ll roll up our sleeves and dive into fun, hands-on animal creations inspired by our first major public exhibition, The Ark.
Art Where You Are: Old Stone House
In celebration of Powerhouse Arts’ first major public exhibition, The Ark, come by the Old Stone House to create pocket-sized animal sculptures inspired by the critters found at J.J. Byrne Playground, Old Stone House, and Washington Park! With support from Powerhouse Arts staff, participants are invited to sculpt, craft, and experiment as they bring caterpillars, ladybugs, and other tiny creatures to life.
Crafternoon: Relief Carving & Animal Imagery
Crafternoons are a series of free, drop-in art workshops for families, kids, and neighbors of all ages. Each month, we’ll roll up our sleeves and dive into fun, hands-on animal creations inspired by our first major public exhibition, The Ark.
Art Where You Are: NYCHA Gowanus Houses
In celebration of Powerhouse Arts’ first major public exhibition, The Ark, we invite our neighbors to join us at the NYCHA Gowanus Houses picnic area along Hoyt St. to create animal puppets! Using repurposed materials and everyday objects, participants will explore how to design and animate expressive puppets through hands-on making and play.
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sponsors
Powerhouse Arts is grateful to Cassie Rosenthal for kindly supporting The Ark. The Ark's public programs, Crafternoons, Art Where You Are, and Deluge are generously supported by Hermès.