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A visit to Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens will quickly turn into a moment of artistic appreciation when stumbling upon "The Giving Tree," a new artificial structure that will remain in place through November 23, 2022.
Built by artist Haksul Lee, the piece uses wind power to generate electricity, actually lighting up the park it calls home and even serving as a charging station for visitors (yes, you read that right: you can actually charge your cell phone through outlets on the tree's trunk!). Specifically, the top of the tree-like structure, which is made of recycled materials collected locally, functions as a wind turbine to generate electricity. Pretty cool, right?
Clearly, the intent behind the art work is to promote eco-friendly behaviors, specifically pushing New Yorkers to address climate issues that have become more and more apparent throughout the years.
You'll find Lee's work by the lawn area north of the "Rocket Thrower," the massive bronze sculpture depicting an athletic-looking man launching a small sphere into the sky and designed by artist Donald De Lue for the New York World's Fair of 1964 and 1965.
If it's modernly cool art installations that you're after, Flushing Meadows Corona Park delivers—and then some!—in the upcoming months. In addition to being home to "The Giving Tree," in fact, the destination is currently playing host to "Going Back to the Meadows," a statue of hip-hop legend and Queens native LL Cool J that also plays the artist's music from noon to 5pm throughout the week.
Generally speaking, it seems like New York is having a public art moment. Currently, a massive crochet mural made of over 1,500 flowers has taken over Chinatown while a tragicomic film plays across 80 billboards in Times Square between 11:57pm and MIDNIGHT every night this month.
Whatever sort of art you're into, the city is sure to deliver.