(Channel) Key From the City
2021

Sculpture
22”x8”x3”
New York City harbor waters, wood, waterproof canvas


(Channel) Key From the City was an award offered to 2021 mayoral candidates on behalf of New York City citizens to commemorate their past and future public service to the city. A ceremonial key made of frozen water drawn from local waterways, the award represented the central role the waterways play in the lifeblood of the city. As the key melts, it suggests the increasing urgency of climate change in New York City, and the fleetingness of power. 


    Above: Mayoral candidate Quanda Francis accepting a key, June 2021
    Right: The delivery receipt accompanying the artwork
    Below: Mayoral candidate Paperboy Love Prince accpeting a key, June 2021

Installation images from AFTERGLOW, curated by Anais Horn, Felix Kindermann, and Eilert Asmervik, 2022.
©2025 Nancy Nowacek
Nancy Nowacek artist is a research-based artist, designer, and educator working in visual art, public art, social practice, and socially-engaged contexts.