Union Square’s Literary Legacy Inspires New Public Sculpture by Fitzhugh Karol

Courtesy of Matthew Williams

Union Square Partnership (USP), in collaboration with NYC Parks is pleased to present Recess: Reads, a vibrant steel sculpture by New York-based artist Fitzhugh Karol, installed prominently at Triangle Plaza in Union Square. Recess: Reads will be located just steps from the district once known as New York City’s “Book Row,” a literary commercial corridor formerly home to over three dozen booksellers between Union Square and Astor Place. This large-scale work invites New Yorkers and visitors alike to pause, play, and discover new perspectives on a familiar cityscape through its bold form and joyful presence. The sculpture will be unveiled at Triangle Plaza in Union Square on November 19th.

Fitzhugh Karol’s artistic journey was profoundly influenced by his time apprenticing with the celebrated ceramicist Toshiko Takaezu, with whom he worked closely before her passing. The experience instilled in him a deep reverence for material, process, and form–qualities that continue to resonate throughout his practice today. In Union Square, Karol brings this lineage forward, creating works that invite both contemplation and interaction.

Originally conceived as part of a series for a children’s library in Oklahoma City, Recess: Reads is over eight feet in height and features a distinctive bi-fold shape that nods to an open book, honoring Union Square’s rich literary legacy. Its angled planes, recessed surfaces, and circular cutouts invite interaction and imagination, evoking the tactile and transportive qualities of reading while offering a new lens through which to experience the city. The circular aperture at its center functions as an oculus, framing a precise sightline up Park Avenue South, encouraging viewers to reframe their surroundings playfully.

“Union Square’s history as New York’s literary heart made it the perfect setting for Recess: Reads. The sculpture is inspired by the simple, transformative act of opening a book—an invitation to pause, reflect, and discover new perspectives. I wanted to create a form that feels both playful and grounding, one that people can move through, lean against, or simply enjoy as part of the landscape. My hope is that it sparks curiosity and connection, much like the books and stories that once defined this neighborhood.” artist Fitzhugh Karol says.

Drawing from his longstanding interest in architecture, landscape, and materiality, Karol embraces intersecting planes and spatial tension in Recess: Reads. His creative process began at a modest scale, hand-cutting paper models with X-acto knives and hole punches, which he digitized and scaled into steel fabrications finished with durable automotive-grade paint. This method marries meticulous craftsmanship with playful design, resulting in a piece both robust and refined–designed to withstand weather and invite public engagement.

The sculpture’s vibrant color was deliberately chosen to create “visual gravity,” drawing people in and enlivening the outdoor space with optimism and accessibility. Recess: Reads encourages visitors to lean on it, sit within it, or peer through it, blurring the lines between viewing and inhabiting public art. It acts as a gathering place, a lookout, and a stage for quiet reflection within the dynamic flow of Union Square. The installation will also include an immersive geo-anchored Augmented Reality feature, allowing users to see an alternate world when looking north through the sculpture's portals. This world consists of sculptural shapes in Karol's artistic vernacular, placing the viewer inside of a new narrative of Park Avenue.

Forming part of NYC Parks’ broader, ongoing initiative to enhance New York City’s public spaces with accessible, world-class art, Recess: Reads is the latest installation to join Union Square’s dynamic array of public sculptures that aim to foster a collective sense of discovery. Union Square’s history as the literary heart of New York–a longstanding destination for bookstores, publishers, and thinkers–imbues Recess: Reads with special significance. The piece’s form references pages, covers, and the quiet power of opening a book to discover new meaning inside. It honors the neighborhood’s past while inviting a playful, contemporary conversation about curiosity, perspective, and connection.

“Union Square is a sought-out cultural hub where public art enlivens the neighborhood, transforming everyday spaces into places of joy, reflection, and discovery while offering fresh ways to experience the city,” says Julie Stein, Executive Director of Union Square Partnership. “We are excited to welcome Fitzhugh Karol’s Recess: Reads sculpture as part of this effort, a work that beautifully honors Union Square’s literary heritage while bringing fresh energy and perspective to the neighborhood’s evolving art landscape.”

“Our public parks aren’t just oases of green within our urban landscape - they also reflect the culture and the history of the neighborhoods they call home. This vibrant sculpture helps New Yorkers and visitors connect with Union Square’s history as a literary hub,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Iris Rodriguez-Rosa. “We’re proud to support installations like this through our Art in the Parks program, bringing world-class art to greenspaces throughout the five boroughs. Before its arrival in Union Square, Recess: Reads was installed at the Tang Teaching Museum in Saratoga Springs in 2022, among other locations, reflecting its adaptable, engaging presence in diverse public and gallery contexts.”

Arriving in Union Square Park, a backdrop for renowned installations that have enriched New York City’s cultural landscape, Recess: Reads invites all ages to explore and reimagine their urban experience. It is a sculptural pause in the city’s constant motion–a moment of curiosity, reflection, and play.

Alongside Fitzhugh Karol’s Recess: Reads, a sister sculpture, Recess: Truckin Lounge, will concurrently be on view at the outdoor sculpture park, Entrance | Red Hook. 

Together with City partners, Union Square Partnership (USP) reimagines public spaces with bold, inspiring works of art that reflect community values and the unique character of the neighborhood. These installations spark dialogue, celebrate creativity, and strengthen the sense of connection among residents and visitors alike. Each year, Union Square becomes a dynamic canvas for public art–from the annual 7,500-square-foot street mural on 14th Street, most recently Turning Point by New York–based artist Yuke Li as part of the NYCxDESIGN Festival (following works by Talisa Almonte, Vanesa Álvarez, Ji Yong Kim, and street art duo GERALUZ and WERC), to striking sculptures presented in partnership with NYC Parks’ Art in the Parks program, including The Space Between Us by Risha Gorig, NYC Legend by Alexander Klingspor (with Mollbrinks Gallery), Unity on Union Square: Love–Ego=LOV by Pasha Radetzki, and the critically acclaimed SEEINJUSTICE series by Confront Art.

Recess: Reads will be on display at Triangle Plaza in Union Square Park from November 19 through June 2026.