The Ursas – Gowanus
THE URSAS, 2023
Permanently installed on the Gowanus Canal, Brooklyn, NY. Open to the Public in Fall 2026.
The Ursas is a transformative project inspired by the grace and wonder of the Ursa Minor and Ursa Major constellations, now permanently installed as public art along Brooklyn’s Gowanus Canal. The pair traveled from the Nevada desert to find their home at Nevins Landing on Gowanus Wharf in August 2026.
Unveiled on the playa in 2022, Ursa Minor stands at 13 feet tall—a luminous embodiment of serenity crafted from infinity mirrors. This free-standing sculpture invites contemplation and engages viewers with its delicate choreography of infinity-reflected LED lights. Inspired by the celestial splendor of Polaris and Ursa Minor, the sculpture’s multi-paneled body emanates a radiant glow, evoking emotions of awe, reverence, and a gentle reminder to cherish the world around us by simply looking up.
Standing nearby, and created from reclaimed ocean plastic trash, Ursa Major towers at 30 feet tall. In a display of contemplation, Ursa Major’s hollow body becomes a vessel for glowing infinity mirrors, reflecting an ethereal mosaic of vintage biological drawings depicting animals that have vanished from our world within the past five years.
Together, Ursa Major and Ursa Minor stand as beacons of unity and compassion. Ursa Minor gazes skyward, embodying a hopeful spirit, while Ursa Major serves as both a sanctuary and a memorial, paying homage to the irreplaceable species we have lost.
Today, The Ursas watch over the Gowanus Canal, a waterway shaped by generations of industry, environmental change, and renewal. “Gowanus has such a strong history of art, industry, water, and environmental change, so it feels like a natural home for them,” says Lewin. Free and open to the public, the sculptures glow along the canal each night as a reminder to look up, and to care for what remains.
grants, awards & exhibitionS
2026
Permanent Commission, Nevins Landing at Gowanus Wharf, Brooklyn, NY
2025
Camp Castra Ursi, Black Rock City, NV
2023
Burning Man Honorarium, Black Rock City, NV
Extinct Animal Series
Ursa Major goes beyond art; it is a heartfelt tribute to lost species. We invite you to step inside and immerse yourself in the interplay of light, shadow, and reflection in honor of our planet’s delicate biodiversity. The Womb of Ursa Major features custom infinity-mirrored panels, each etched with detailed vintage biological illustrations of animals listed on the IUCN Red List for declared extinct species over the last five years.
Sustainable Artistry
Crafted from reclaimed ocean plastic trash, the work underscores the importance of environmental consciousness. Ursa Major’s outer skin panels are made of reclaimed ocean plastic reused from Jen Lewin Studio’s The Last Ocean. These panels are composed of approximately 40% Ocean Bound Plastic, 33% Post-Consumer Plastic, 14% Beach-Collected Plastic, and 13% Ocean-Collected Plastic. The Ursas are part of Lewin’s ongoing Extinct Animal Series, including Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, In Flight, and Pileus—all of which honor recently extinct or critically endangered species.
