Hurly Whirly lands on 4th Ave!

Forth on Fourth Ave (FOFA) is proud to be part of a neighborhood coalition that brings new public art to 4th Ave.

Hurly Whirly by David Barthold, fabricated by Beam Center youth 

11 ft x 8 ft kinetic sculpture

On view at 4th Avenue and 2nd St (median) in Gowanus/Park Slope, Brooklyn

Read the profile in the Brooklyn Paper

Hurly Whirly, a large-scale whimsical sculpture, designed by Gowanus-based artist David Barthold and fabricated by Beam Center youth apprentices, will delight and amaze passersby on 4th Ave this spring. The 11ft by 8ft colorful, kinetic sculpture was installed on April 28, 2026 in the median on 4th Ave at 2nd Street through The New York City Department of Transportation’s art program (NYC DOT Art). Working with mentorship of the artist and Beam Center staff, young people created the sculpture, learning fabrication and job readiness skills. 

This temporary art project was made possible by a coalition of neighborhood groups, including Arts Gowanus, Beam Center, Forth on Fourth Ave (FOFA), Why Not Art, Gowanus BID Formation Committee, the Old Stone House and the Gowanus Neighborhood Arts Advisory Committee (GNAAC). The coalition envisions this project to kick-off regular installations of public art along 4th Ave. As 4th Ave experiences a boom of growth alongside Gowanus and other neighborhoods, this project highlights and celebrates Brooklyn’s artistic and creative community for all to enjoy! Public Art has been shown to increase economic activity and sense of place, benefiting residents and small businesses in the area.

Artist Statement: Hurly Whirly is conceived as a riff on the tradition of whimsical roadside art, of the kind often associated with small businesses along American highways before the advent of the interstate system after WWII.  When traffic, and life, moved more slowly, roadside attractions had a quirky, even weird, appeal to the curiosity of passing drivers. The sculpture is meant to invoke the same sense of wonder the artist felt at the sight of such attractions during long family road trips through the south and midwest in the 1960s and 70s. The art work materials include marine-grade plywood, rust-resistant exterior-grade enamel paint, cold-rolled steel tubing and steel angle, laser-cut steel base, and various SS fasteners for connecting fins to armature and base to pavement

Funding was made possible by Why Not Art and supporters of Beam Center, including the Jacques and Natasha Gelman Foundation, Altman Foundation, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, New York State Council on the Arts, and the New York Community Trust. 

We are looking for additional long-term partners and sponsorship support to foster this pilot project into future multi-year public art installations. Contact Grace Freedman grace@whynotart.com for details. Additional photos available HERE and on Instagram.