Moko Fukuyama's Old School has a walnut sea monster wrapping its tentacles around a capsized 1950s aluminum boat; SUPERFLEX's pink stone table is engineered so plankton and algae would colonise it underwater. All six are playable, which makes the correct response here grabbing a paddle. If you want one free, photogenic thing by the water, take the A train to the end of it.
What to expect
Six large sculptures sitting directly on the sand within easy walking distance of one another, each doubling as a working ping-pong table. Carlos H. Matos's Tlachco merges the table with a scaled-down Mesoamerican Ulama ball court; Fukuyama's sea monster is the one everyone photographs. Bring paddles and a ball if you actually want to play.
Good to know
- Take the A train to Broad Channel and transfer to the Rockaway Park shuttle for Beach 67th Street
- Bring your own paddles and balls; they are not always available on site
- Come in the late afternoon for softer light on the sculptures and a thinner beach crowd
- The sculptures sit on sand, so wheeled access across the beach is limited past the boardwalk ramps
- Great for families and for anyone combining art with an actual swim
- Sunscreen and water matter more than you think out here; there is no gallery shade
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Common questions
Can you actually play on the sculptures?
Yes. All six commissions function as playable ping-pong tables, though you should bring your own paddles and ball.
Does it cost anything?
No. Public Art Fund exhibitions are free and open to everyone; the beach itself is public.
Which artists are in it?
Moko Fukuyama, Ilana Harris-Babou, Las Hermanas Iglesias, Carlos H. Matos, Amalia Pica and SUPERFLEX.
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