Where to See Tom Otterness Sculptures in New York?

Love humor? You'll adore the whimsical characters created by American sculptor Tom Otterness. Here's where to find them throughout New York.

Who Is Tom Otterness?

Want to explore New York beyond the usual tourist spots and discover things most visitors walk right past? Search out the playful sculptures of Tom Otterness scattered throughout the city.
This American sculptor was born in Kansas in 1952 and has placed several works across New York. His sculptures have nothing in common with the Statue of Liberty or the imposing Wall Street Bull.
Otterness favors small, understated pieces full of humor and wit rather than grand gestures. Yet he remains a committed artist: many of his works critique unchecked greed, real estate developers’ hunger for profit, and social inequality.

Here are three main locations where you can easily see Tom Otterness sculptures as a visitor.

From Castle Clinton in Battery Park at the southern tip of Manhattan, head toward the Hudson River and the children’s playground in Battery Park City. There you’ll encounter creatures created by Tom Otterness.
The collection is called “The Real World” and was installed here in 1992. A personal favorite: the rotund figure attempting to play the violin.

Another unexpected place to encounter Otterness’s work: the 14th St – 8 Av subway station, gateway to the Meatpacking District. As you exit the train onto the platform, you’ll see around a hundred small characters, each more charming than the last.
Look closer, though, and you’ll notice some represent greed, absolute power, and humanity’s many flaws. This project, titled Life Underground, has been in place since 2002.

Don’t miss a trip to Roosevelt Island: you’ll get to ride the unique Roosevelt Island Tramway and enjoy an uncommon view of Midtown, plus encounter some of Otterness’s finest sculptures.
After exiting the tramway, head to the waterfront on the Manhattan side. Walk north along the East River. Tom Otterness’s sculptures line the banks of the East River. You’ll see, among others, a symbolic and impossible marriage between a greedy real estate developer and a peaceful little house that simply wants to stay put.