Acclaimed Artist and Filmmaker Charlotte Colbert Unveils Global Premiere of Two 30-Ft-Tall Sculptures ‘Chasing Rainbows’
Mar 10, 2026
The Public Art Installation of Colbert’s ‘Where Angels Live’ and ‘Dreamland Sirens’
Will Be On View in Manhattan March 10-May 27
NEW YORK, NY (March 10, 2026) — This spring, New York-born multi-disciplinary artist Charlotte Colbert will present ‘Chasing Rainbows’, a monumental, two-site installation across Manhattan’s Flatiron NoMad neighborhood and the Meatpacking District. This exhibition marks the global premiere of two 30-foot-tall steel sculptures by Colbert, and her first U.S. public art presentation. The exhibition is curated by public art agency, New Public, in partnership with NYC Department of Transportation Art program, the Meatpacking District Management Association, and Flatiron NoMad Partnership, and celebrated art figure Simon de Pury.
Installed in high-traffic, open-air pedestrian plazas, the scale, reflective material of the steel, and the surrealist expression are intended to bring childlike wonder into dialogue with the monolithic proportions of Manhattan. Drawing on archetypal symbols, fairy tales, and the language of the unconscious, “Chasing Rainbows” invites passersby to reconnect with imagination as a shared, public space.
“In a city that never sleeps, I hope to create moments of pause and personal connection with the sculptures and spark conversations among strangers,” said artist Charlotte Colbert.
In the Meatpacking District, ‘Where Angels Live’ takes the form of a towering, reflective steel tree adorned with votive-like charms inspired by relics, amulets, and talismans: objects imbued with meaning through collective belief. Situated within a neighborhood defined by its various chapters, from an industrial origin to becoming a haven for the LGBTQIA+ community and transforming into a vibrant cultural destination that prioritizes creative use of public space, the sculpture functions as a contemporary shrine, honoring what is unseen, remembered, and carried forward.
“The Meatpacking District has long been shaped by transformation and by the communities who call it home. Where Angels Live reflects that evolution — honoring what’s been carried forward while creating space for new meaning,” said Jeffrey LeFrancois, Executive Director of the Meatpacking District. “This project underscores our shared commitment, alongside Flatiron NoMad and NYC DOT, to public art that is inclusive, thought-provoking, and deeply rooted in place.”
‘Dreamland Sirens’ rises in the Flatiron NoMad district as a single, watchful, dual-coloured eye supported by a column of tears. Referencing the act of dreaming and manifestation as a collective force, and the ancient symbolism of the sculpture reflects the surrounding city back onto itself, bridging inner vision and public space next to The Flatiron Building, one of New York’s first steel-framed skyscrapers and Beaux-Arts architectural marvels. Flatiron NoMad’s bustling public plaza places ‘Dreamland Sirens’ in the center of hundreds of thousands of employees, residents, and visitors who come through the district each day.
“‘Dreamland Sirens’ invites people to see and experience our public spaces through a brand-new eye,” said James Mettham, President of the Flatiron NoMad Partnership. “By placing Charlotte Colbert’s larger-than-life artwork in this iconic Flatiron location, we’re creating an unmissable moment that makes New Yorkers and visitors pause, look up, and interact with art in the flow of daily life. Installations like these show how thoughtfully placed public art and collaborative partnerships can connect communities across the city.”
The host plazas represent a first-of-its-kind collaboration between two distinct, booming Manhattan neighborhoods: the Meatpacking District and the Flatiron NoMad district, each managed by their own Business Improvement District (BID). Activating two of the city’s busiest public plazas with large-scale public art is a key demonstration of how these organizations support their respective neighborhoods with cultural attractions intended to drive visitation, increase economic development and create opportunities for community connection.
“Installing Charlotte’s 30-foot tall sculptures across these sites is not about spectacle,” said Lorna-Rose Simpson and Rachael McNabb, Co-Founders of New Public. “Being Women’s History Month, it’s a deliberate act of re-inscription, integrating monumental symbolic forms created by a female artist and realized by a women-led curatorial agency, into spaces long shaped by male narratives of power. The project asks not only how our cities evolve, but who gets to define their symbolic language.”
“I have always been a great admirer of artist and filmmaker Charlotte Colbert and am thrilled to be presenting two of her monumental sculptural works in such iconic locations in New York City,” said Simon de Pury. “New Yorkers will soon get a chance to experience her exceptional works, ‘Dreamland Sirens’ and ‘Where Angels Live,’ first hand!”
Colbert’s U.S. debut is the latest milestone in a contemporary practice shaped by significant international recognition. A multidisciplinary artist and filmmaker working across cinema, sculpture, and photography, she has exhibited at institutions including the Victoria and Albert Museum and Montpellier Contemporain, as well as major platforms such as Frieze and Art Basel. Her directorial screen debut, She Will (2021), won the Golden Leopard for Best First Feature at the Locarno Film Festival and was named a New York Times Critic’s Choice. Her singular visual language often has strong philosophical undertones, exploring themes of narrative, time, identity, dreams and the unconscious, navigating the surreal and fantastical as a portal to view our world anew and find space to question and reimagine.
High Resolution Photography Assets here.
Photo credit and caption:
Chasing Rainbows, 2026, by Charlotte Colbert. Artwork©️Charlotte Colbert, 2025
Photo ©️Timothy Schenck.
Curated by New Public.
In partnership with NYC DOT Art Program, Flatiron NoMad Partnership, Meatpacking District, Simon de Pury.
‘Dreamland Sirens’ in Flatiron NoMad
Flatiron South Plaza
23rd St. and Broadway
‘Where Angels Live’ in the Meatpacking District
14th Street Square
West 14th Street and Ninth Avenue
MEDIA CONTACT:
Amanda Rubin Deveaux, Scott & Co
amanda@scott-andco.com
+1-617-834-8342
###
ABOUT Charlotte Colbert
Charlotte Colbert is a multimedia artist and multi-award-winning filmmaker, whom The London Standard dubbed “a natural-born magician.”
A creative force whose debut feature film was praised by The New York Times and won the Golden Leopard for Best First Picture, she has been described as “the lovechild of Salvador Dalí and Emily Dickinson.”
Colbert’s work has been shown in public spaces, galleries, art fairs and institutions internationally, including the V&A, Montpellier Contemporain, Frieze and Art Basel. She has collaborated with brands such as Four Seasons, The Conran Shop and Alexander McQueen, and worked with artists including Kate Nash, Isobel Waller-Bridge, Cillian Murphy, Malcolm McDowell, Rupert Everett, Lily Cole, Clint Mansell, Omar Sy and Eric Cantona, to name a few.
She is currently developing large-scale public installations across the US, UK and Italy. Her work has strong philosophical undertones and often explores themes of narrative, time, identity, dreams and the unconscious. The surreal and fantastical become ways to view our world anew and find space to question and reimagine.
ABOUT New Public
New Public is a women-owned cultural placemaking and public art agency delivering ambitious projects that transform urban spaces into platforms for contemporary culture. In just two years, the fast-growing agency has commissioned more than 24 artists and delivered landmark activations across London, collaborating with leading contemporary voices including Anicka Yi, Philip Colbert, Lakwena Maciver and Yinka Ilori.
From Piccadilly Circus to Battersea Power Station, New Public’s large-scale projects push the boundaries of art in the public realm, reaching millions of visitors annually and positioning culture at the center of civic life. Featured in The Guardian, Financial Times, BBC News, Dezeen and Artnet, the agency partners with developers, landowners, brands and public bodies to deliver work that is accessible, socially engaged and culturally resonant.
Now making its New York debut, New Public brings its international perspective to one of the world’s most influential cultural capitals.
Grounded in authenticity, inclusivity and sustainability, New Public champions the public realm as a democratic space for culture, connection and exchange, ensuring each project leaves a lasting social and cultural legacy.
Instagram: @NewPublicProjects LinkedIn: New Public #NewPublicProjects
ABOUT Simon de Pury
Auctioneer, art dealer, curator, photographer and DJ, Simon de Pury is one of the leading figures in the art world. Renowned for his legendary performances on the auction podium, which have earned him the moniker ‘the Mick Jagger of auctions’, as well as his deep and longstanding knowledge of the global marketplace, de Pury is the preeminent international auctioneer and art advisor.
de Pury has been instrumental in championing the careers of many contemporary artists, photographers and designers. Acting as curator of the Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection now housed in its own museum in Madrid. Moreover, he has auctioned and secured a substantial number of the most legendary art collections for auctions and private treaty.
About the Flatiron NoMad Partnership
The Flatiron NoMad Partnership, formed in 2006, is a non-profit organization and business improvement district that serves the businesses, people, and places that help make Flatiron and NoMad two of Manhattan’s most iconic and authentic destinations. Home to a range of retailers and employers, cultural and educational institutions, and a thriving residential community, the district is a center of activity. The Partnership serves as a dedicated steward and supporter of public life in the district by maintaining a clean and safe environment; spearheading area improvement projects; and marketing and championing the diverse business and retail options in this vibrant and historic neighborhood.
FlatironNoMad.nyc
info@flatironnomad.nyc
Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @flatironny
About the Meatpacking District
The Meatpacking District is a neighborhood like no other: a fusion of grit and glam, where old New York meets the frenetic pace of the 21st Century. It has a magnetic appeal. The Meatpacking District Management Association is a business improvement District (BID). It serves the businesses, residents, and visitors of the area with a common goal: to program, promote, and take care of the Meatpacking District. There is a broad community that makes the District distinct. The BID organizes community events and entertainment. It is the partner with the City to maintain and keep clean over 30,000 square feet of plazas and four Open Streets. The teams are on the ground seven days a week sweeping the sidewalks and engaging with visitors. The work, at its core, is to ensure that businesses succeed and the characters who work, live, and play here enjoy it and are happy to return. For more information, please visit meatpacking-district.com.
Media Contact
BerlinRosen PR
Meatpacking@berlinrosen.com
Header & Thumbnail Photo Credit: Timothy Schenck
