Field of Light NYC is an immersive art installation that opened to the public on December 15, 2023 in New York City. Created by British artist Bruce Munro, the installation literally creates a field of lights which spans over six acres of land and features 18,750 illuminated spheres that visitors can walk within, set against the backdrop of the city’s iconic skyline and the East River waterfront. The installation is making New York City shine brighter still from this holiday season through the next one as it is scheduled to be on display for 12 months.
Bruce Munro is a renowned artist who is known for creating large-scale, immersive installations. In Field of Light, Munro has created an immersive space that actually manages to make New Yorkers slow down and figuratively smell the lights in the City that Never Sleeps. The exhibit at Freedom Plaza is the latest in his field of light series of installations, and a must visit once you can secure the free tickets which are selling out as soon as they become available.
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Field of Light Concept and Inspiration
Field of Light at Freedom Plaza is a great new addition to New York’s Public Art landscape by Bruce Munro, who has large scale fields of light installations currently on display in places ranging from America to Australia. The installation in New York City is his first urban iteration set in the largest undeveloped lot in Manhattan, which is surrounded by high rise buildings on three sides, and by the East River with a backdrop of Queens on the fourth.
The inspiration for the installation came to Munro during a trip through the Australian Outback in 1992. To quote the artist, “Deserts have many incongruities, they are infertile, barren places, until it rains and then they bloom like a veritable Eden. I wanted to create a field of light stems that, like the dormant seed in a dry desert, would quietly wait until darkness falls and then under a blazing blanket of southern stars bloom with gentle rhythms of light. By placing an intentionally crafted installation in the midst of nature, the enormous contrast created allows one to literally see the wood from the trees.” This inspiration has been manifesting into the Field of Light installations since 2003.
The Field of Light installation has been supported by the Soloviev Foundation, a non-profit organization that aims to promote art and culture in the United States and around the world, and the Soloviev Group, a New York-based investment firm that is pitching to build a casino in this space.
Field of Light Installation Overview
The Field of Light installation is a meserizing display of light and technology that spans over six acres on Manhattan’s East Side, from 38th to 41st Street east of First Avenue. The installation features an array of 18,750 low-light, fiber-optic stemmed spheres that illuminate with a slow, subtle change of hue.The spheres are arranged in a way that creates a sense of movement, as if the light is moving across the landscape, with lit paths that visitors can use to walk through the installation.
During the day, the spheres blend in with the landscape, but their magic begins when the sun sets as they start to glow, creating an unforgettable effect that is enhanced by the changing colors of the spheres. What makes them even more special is their setting in view of the UN Headquarters, where the installation seems to weave the various peoples it represents into one interconnected body, with each sphere shining bright both in its own right and as an integral part of the whole.
The fiber-optic stemmed spheres are arranged in a seemingly random pattern, and emit a soft, warm light that is reminiscent of a starry night sky. The spheres are powered by a complex system of LED lights and computer software, which controls the color and intensity of the lights, creating a dynamic and ever-changing display. The installation is also designed to be energy-efficient, using only a fraction of the energy that traditional lighting systems would require.
It is striking how the sounds of the city seem to melt away when you are walking through the exhibit despite all the traffic on the FDR which borders one side of the field.
The installation can also be viewed from the street on 2nd Avenue, from FDR for people driving north as the view dirving south has been blocked so vehicle headlights do not add an unexpected light element, and from high rise buildings around the installation, though walking through the field of lights is the best way to experience them.
Field of Light at Freedom Plaza is a testament to the power of public art to inspire and transform an unused lot to a field of dazzling lights in a city that is always shining bright.
Visitor Information
Viewing Schedule
The Field of Light installation at Freedom Plaza is open to the public from Thursday to Saturday every week. The exhibit is open from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM. It is advisable to check the official Field of Light website for any changes in the viewing schedule as access can be restricted if it is raining. The exhibit is also open on holidays, but holiday hours may differ from regular hours.
The exbibit is outdoors, so it is recommended to dress appropriately for the weather as temperatures can be cold during the winter months.
Field of Light NYC Tickets
Admission to the Field of Light exhibit is free and open to the public, but require a timed entrance ticket. Visitors can reserve up to 4 tickets online per person per visit, with no limit on the number of visits.
Given the online tickets are sold out, Field of Light at Freedom Plaza has now started a standby line for walk ins during their regular operating hours. So, if you could not book them online, the standby line is now an option.
If the exhibit is closed due to bad weather, the tickets are accommodated on other days.
Location and Directions
The Field of Light NYC installation is located on Freedom Plaza between East 38th Street and East 41st Street, and First Avenue and the FDR Drive, with the entrance to the field on 41st Street. The street address is 686 1st Avenue, New York NY 10016.
For those traveling by subway or rail, the nearest station is 42nd Street Grand Central Station, which serves the 4, 5, 6, 7, and Times Square Shuttle subways, as well as the Metro North Railroad and Long Island Railroad.
By bus, the two options are M42 which travels along 42nd Street, and the M15 which operates along First and Second Avenues.
The nearest ferry is at the East 34th Street terminal, where the Soundview, East River, and Astoria NYC Ferry routes make stops. From the ferry dock, a northward walk along First Avenue will lead to Field of Light.
For cyclists, it’s important to note that there are no designated areas within Field of Light to park and secure a bike. However, there is a CitiBike docking station on First Avenue near 40th Street.
If you are planning to drive, Field of Light does not offer parking, and street parking in the immediate vicinity is limited.
Accessibility
The Field of Light exhibit pathways are ADA compliant and accessible for wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, braces, and scooters.
For visitors with children, it is accessible by strollers as well.
Bruce Munro Field of Light Exhibits
Bruce Munro is a British artist who is known for his large-scale light installations. Born in 1959 in London, his installations are often inspired by nature, and he uses light as a medium to create immersive and interactive experiences for viewers.
Bruce Munro Field of Light Exhibits include –
- Field of Light at Sensorio, Paso Robles, California, which is the artists’s largest artwork spread over 15 acres which was recently expanded to more than 100,000 illuminated stemmed spheres.
- Field of Light, Lady Bird Johnson Center, Austin, Texas which spans 16 acres within the Texas Arboretum at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, featuring an astounding collection of 28,000 solar-powered stemmed spheres.
- Field of Light Uluru, Northern Territory, Australia, which features more than 50,000 slender stems crowned with radiant, frosted glass spheres, extending over an expansive area.
Closing Thoughts
Field of Light at Freedom Plaza manages to transform an unused lot to a field of lights that shines as bright on the ground as the skyscrapers it is surrounded by. Free and open to the public, the timed tickets for this public art exhibit needed to enter the field sell out as soon as they are released, making it a must see for New Yorkers and visitors alike. The changing colors constantly transform the field as you look at it from the outside or experience it from within on the accessible pathways, making this an amazing exhibit that will grace the streets of NYC through December 2024.
