Public Art Fund Talk: Woody De Othello

Join us for a conversation between artist Woody De Othello and Public Art Fund Assistant Curator Jenée Daria Strand as they discuss Guardian Spirit, Othello’s first public art exhibition in New York City, on view at Brooklyn Bridge Park through March 2027. 

Othello’s sculptures reflect his deep research and long engagement with nkisi. In Western and Central African contexts, nkisi is known as any object or material that is designated with spiritual energy and, thus, provides spiritual protection to the place it inhabits or the person who owns it. Othello’s works reference everyday objects—phones, combs, instruments, and more—and subtly nod to traditions of nkisi, specifically the ways objects become an extension of our feelings, emotions, and thus, spirits. 

Can’t make the talk? Join us two days earlier for Woody De Othello’s Opening Celebration at Brooklyn Bridge Park!