Leslie Wayne's 'The Unintended Blues' at River to River Festival

Leslie Wayne's exhibition 'The Unintended Blues' presents large-scale paintings that initially resemble photographs, depicting melting Arctic icebergs, Manhattan, harbor construction, and vulnerable U.S. coastlines. On closer inspection, the imagery becomes fluid and abstract. The works continue her 'This Land Is Your Land' series, expanding from trompe-l'œil airplane windows to global watery landscapes. Displayed on metal armatures with two canvases back-to-back, the paintings become sculptural and environmental, allowing viewers to circumnavigate and experience multiple locations simultaneously. Wayne states that artists can bring awareness to urgent issues by reaching viewers' hearts and minds with poetic creativity, hoping to portray the splendor of what we stand to lose. The exhibition is part of the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council's 2026 River to River Festival, on view through September 27 at the Arts Center at Governor's Island. The United Nations calls rising waters a global crisis for the billion people relying on coastlines.