Art in Odd Places 21st Edition Battles Nor'easter on 14th Street
Over the weekend, the 21st Art in Odd Places (AiOP) festival took place on 14th Street in Manhattan, stretching from 6th to 8th Avenue. Even with a nor'easter dumping rain on the event, artists connected with the community through various performances and installations. The theme of utopia was explored, as participants sought shelter from the downpour. Massachusetts artist Nima Nikakhlagh presented 'Archive of Possibility' (2026) near the subway, inviting people to share their visions of an ideal world, which he sealed in a box. Performance artist Susana Gonzalez-Revilla had to relocate her setup due to noise complaints, while Ariel Kleinberg exhibited goddess cutouts along a fence, showcasing the endurance of public art amid challenging conditions.
Key facts
- Art in Odd Places held its 21st edition on Saturday and Sunday along 14th Street in Manhattan.
- The festival spanned from 6th to 8th Avenue and featured performance and site-specific installations.
- A nor'easter brought heavy rain, creating technical difficulties and dampening attendance.
- Nima Nikakhlagh, a Massachusetts-based artist, staged 'Archive of Possibility' (2026) outside the 8th Avenue subway stop.
- Participants in Nikakhlagh's work drew utopian visions, which were sealed in a box permanently.
- Susana Gonzalez-Revilla, a Panama-based performance artist, moved her performance after tenant complaints about fire and drums.
- Ariel Kleinberg of Astoria installed cutout paintings of goddesses along a chain-link fence and tarp-covered storefront.
- The festival's theme was utopia, explored through interactive and site-specific works despite adverse weather.
Entities
Artists
- Nima Nikakhlagh
- Susana Gonzalez-Revilla
- Ariel Kleinberg
Institutions
- Art in Odd Places
Locations
- Manhattan
- United States
- 14th Street
- 6th Avenue
- 8th Avenue
- Massachusetts
- Panama
- Astoria