AUNTIES Sculpture to be Unveiled on the 124th Street and Lenox Avenue Median

On Friday, May 16th, NYC Department of Transportation in partnership with artist Fitgi Saint-Louis and the West Harlem Art Fund will unveil the sculpture "Aunties" on the 124th Street and Lenox Avenue median. The work presents three figures, each standing 6.5 feet high, 6 inches deep, and 16 inches wide. This sculpture is composed of hollow CNC milled layers of wood that has been fine sanded and painted. Assisting the artist Fitgi Saint-Louis is Brooklyn-based woodworker Kevin Carlin.

CNC milling is a subtractive manufacturing process that combines traditional milling with computer numerical control (CNC) technology. It involves using a rotating cutting tool to remove material from a solid block of metal, plastic, wood, or other materials to create precise parts and products.

As described by Saint-Louis "Aunties honors the women within our lives who passionately nurture and embolden our community. In Harlem these cultivators of culture, organizers and style icons, have fearlessly called us to action across generations."

"This assembly of large scale figures reflects the monumental spirit of those uplifting our neighborhood, embedding life into our homes, schools and shops, across buzzing avenues, streets and boulevards. Created with layers of wood, the vibrantly painted material is a reminder of heritage craft traditions and our connection to land." "Standing tall Aunties and intentionally positioned with open space between figures, I invite my neighbors to engage with the work, capturing their own aunties, family and loved ones. With gratitude we recognize their continued contributions to our collective fabric in the past, present and future."

According to Savona Bailey-McClain, Executive Director of the West Harlem Art Fund, "Our mission is to bring quality public art to Harlem and the surrounding areas of NYC. By introducing modern art into urban settings, we strive to introduce newer perspectives and voices to various communities. Additionally, we include narratives from multiple diasporas around the world.

Community Commissions is a flagship initiative under NYC Department of Transportation where NYC artists are encouraged to apply. Unveiling is scheduled for Friday, May 16, 2025.

About the Artist

Fitgi Saint-Louis is a multidisciplinary artist based in Harlem, NY. Her work considers the intertwined nature of identity, remembrance and community within African, American and Caribbean cultures. Appearing in paint, textiles and sculpture, her abstracted figures honor the multifaceted ancestry of the African diaspora. With a background in design, Saint-Louis utilizes form and color to present Black figures in vibrant and contemplative imagery.

Saint-Louis was awarded the Rising Star Award by Interior Design Magazine, is an adjunct professor (SVA), an organizer in Design as Protest, a member of Urban Design Forum, National Organization of Minority Architects and Society of Experiential Graphic Designers.