THE NEW YORK TIMES
By Martha Schwendener
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| Hank Willis Thomas’s “Unity” at Tillary and Adams Street, near the Brooklyn Bridge.Kyle Johnson for The New York Times |
Standing at the newly constructed intersection of Tillary and Adams Streets, near the exit from the Brooklyn Bridge, is a new, 22-foot bronze arm with the index finger pointing skyward. Commissioned by New York City’s Percent for Art program, the permanent sculpture was created by
Hank Willis Thomas and is titled “Unity” (2019). Is this outstretched arm a new greeting at the threshold of Brooklyn, like the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor? “Unity” was originally called “We’re No. #1,” a more assertive title, perhaps recalling the historical competition between the boroughs that reaches back to the 19th century. “Unity” is a traditional and fairly conservative work, accompanied in the official news release by a statement that sounds politician-worthy: “This sculpture is a homage to, and celebration of, the unique and multifaceted character of the borough of Brooklyn,” Mr. Thomas says. [
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| “Unity,” 22 feet tall, being installed near the intersection of Adams and Tillary Streets in Brooklyn. |
