Cathedral of St John the Divine unveils 50,000 glass ginkgo leaves for unhoused
In Manhattan, the Cathedral of St John the Divine has introduced UNSEEN (2026), a striking sculpture by glass artist Nisha Bansil, which features more than 50,000 glass ginkgo leaves adorning the stone steps of one of the nave's 14 bays. This artwork draws attention to the plight of New York City's unhoused individuals, with over 100,000 people residing in shelters or living on the streets each night. Bansil, who relocated to NYC in 2017, crafted the leaves over a span of 14 weeks at the Corning Museum of Glass, utilizing molds made from ginkgo leaves gathered at the cathedral. The project was initiated following Bansil's receipt of a $100,000 Maxwell/Hanrahan award. On June 30, 500 additional glass leaves were sold at the gift shop, with proceeds supporting the food pantry.
Key facts
- UNSEEN (2026) by Nisha Bansil features over 50,000 glass ginkgo leaves at Cathedral of St John the Divine.
- The sculpture highlights NYC's unhoused population of over 100,000.
- Leaves were fabricated over 14 weeks at Corning Museum of Glass studio.
- The studio's 5,000 sq. ft casting centre opened as part of a $55m expansion in 2024.
- Bansil received a $100,000 Maxwell/Hanrahan award from United States Artists.
- 500 additional leaves sold pay-what-you-wish on 30 June, proceeds to Cathedral Community Cares food pantry.
- Other works at the cathedral include Keith Haring's Altarpiece (1990) and Meredith Bergmann's Memorial to September 11 (2012).
- Alex Strada's Public Address runs until 26 July in Brooklyn's Columbus Park.
Entities
Artists
- Nisha Bansil
- Anne Patterson
- Keith Haring
- Meredith Bergmann
- Alex Strada
Institutions
- Cathedral of St John the Divine
- Corning Museum of Glass
- United States Artists
- Cathedral Community Cares
- Cathedral of St. John the Divine
Locations
- New York City
- Manhattan
- Morningside Heights
- Catskills
- upstate New York
- Brooklyn
- Columbus Park
- United States
- Corning
- New York