Public Art Installation “Star Light Star Bright” Coming to 140 Broadway

11/18/2024
Public Art Installation “Star Light Star Bright” Coming to 140 Broadway

“Star Light Star Bright,” the Downtown Alliance’s newest public art installation, will be on view starting November 20 at the plaza in front of 140 Broadway. This immersive installation invites visitors to participate in a community-driven, interactive art experience by attaching their “wishes” to a vibrant, star-shaped structure. The installation will be up until January 9, 2025. 

Created by design studio Hou de Sousa, “Star Light Star Bright” is a public pavilion that takes inspiration from the cross-cultural tradition of wish trees. The installation will serve as both a visual spectacle and a symbolic gathering place where individuals can share their hopes, dreams and goals. The star-shaped perimeter—which is over 22 feet across— includes a steel frame lined by 1,200 colorful chains and over 75,000 individual links for tying fluorescent wish ribbons. As each wish ribbon is added, the installation grows larger and brighter. 

“As the winter season sets in, ‘Star Light Star Bright’ will be a bright and joyful addition to Lower Manhattan, providing a reason to gather, reflect, and create a sense of community,” said Jessica Lappin, President of the Downtown Alliance. “We hope it encourages locals and visitors alike to take a moment outdoors, enjoy the lights and share their wishes for the future.”

In conjunction with the installation, the Downtown Alliance will host a series of community events at the plaza in front of 140 Broadway from 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. These events will offer visitors a chance to enjoy live entertainment, free refreshments and engage with the installation by picking up a blank ribbon and adding their wish. Dates of the events are as follows:

  • Thursday, November 21: Live music from New York Collective featuring Svetlana Shmulyian and free refreshments from Pi Bakerie’s the Cookie Odyssey.
  • Wednesday, December 4: Live music from New York Collective featuring Alphonso Horne and free refreshments from La Parisienne. 
  • Wednesday, December 11: Live music from New York Collective featuring Gina Soto and free refreshments from Simpl Coffee. 
  • Wednesday, December 18: Live music from New York Collective featuring Svetlana Shmulyian and free refreshments from Blue Spoon.

Those unable to attend the community events are invited to participate in “Star Light Star Bright” by picking up a pre-printed wish from one of the Downtown Alliance’s local wish partners, bringing it back to the plaza and adding it to the artwork directly. Wish partners are made up of over 40 restaurants, shops, hotels, cultural institutions and other locations in Lower Manhattan. A full list (including a Google Map link) can be found here: https://downtownny.com/news/star-light-star-bright-holiday-2024/ 

Professional Photos of “Star Light Star Bright” will be available upon request on November 22.