Inspiring public artworks

This video installation by Swiss artist Pipilotti Rist is called Het Leven Verspillen Aan Jou (Wasting Life For You). It was created specifically for the spectacular mirrored façade of the Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam in 2021. Colourful bubbles that move across the floor are projected from an organic sculpture 15 meters high, creating a soft shower of colour that is only visible from sunset to midnight. With her work, Rist invites everyone to dance and play together in the coloured light reflected in the Depot's material. 

Douglas Coupland’s first piece of public art in Vancouver, the sculpture depicts a pixelated 25-foot-tall (7,6 metre) leaping killer whale. Made from steel armature with aluminium cladding, black and white cubes make up the whale’s body. It’s meant to draw attention to the importance of technology and nature to the city and consider the past, present and future of the site.

An abandoned soap factory converted into a mesmerising ‘museum’ by French street artist Seth. It’s managed by a homeless family that squats on the premises and gives tours, living off proceeds of the catalogs. Admission is free, but getting in is tricky: look for a gap in the chain-link fence at the above address.

This illuminated 30-meter pedestrian bridge was designed by Leo Villareal, the same artist behind The Bay Lights. It features 28.000 overhead LED bulbs that change 30 times per second into many colors. The best viewing time is at night from the corner of Howard and Third Streets.

This eye-catching sculpture by Henrique Moreira is mostly known as A Menina Nua (The Naked Girl) but its actual name is Juventude (Youth). It depicts a naked girl sitting peacefully with an enigmatic smile on her face, and it has been standing in a fountain in Avenida dos Aliados since 1929.

At first, it might feel a bit weird to lie down on the stone bench in the middle of a large artificial crater in the dunes of Kijkduin. But once you observe how the sky becomes a vault, you get this magically serene feeling. The effect is most noticeable on clear days. This public art work is created by the American artist James Turrell, the artist of light and space.

It’s a little odd when you’re wandering through the financial district amidst the high-rise buildings, and all of a sudden the square opens up and seven life-sized cow sculptures are found resting in a quiet grassy area. It’s a juxtaposition between city chaos and country calm.