A Citation for Art Preservation is presented for the restoration of Costantino Nivola’s Concrete Play Horses at the Stephen Wise Towers in Manhattan. Originally installed in 1964 as part of a Modernist landscape designed by Nivola and architect Richard Stein, these eighteen abstract, cast-concrete horses served as a beloved play feature in a public housing plaza, where the residents refer to them as “llamas.” Nivola also created an abstract expressionist sgraffito mural, cast concrete “Fountain,” “Concrete Wall,” and humanist abstract sculpture, “The Nanny” at the site. The collection is the largest of Nivola’s public works in New York City and is believed to be unique among his public artworks in its blending of artistic techniques and forms. Over the years the horses suffered various forms of damage, and in 2021 they were hastily removed to fix a water main break, prompting their repair and reinstallation. One of the project’s main challenges was a lack of original documentation. Through research, the conservators discovered a nearly identical fiberglass “herd” in Columbus, Indiana, which they used to recreate missing muzzles and damaged legs. Petrographic and chemical analyses guided the development of concrete mixes to match the original material, even accounting for weathering effects over the years. Old photographs and satellite imagery were used to map out the original configuration of the horses. Thanks to a committed developer, a dedicated team of conservators and talented specialists, a vital community asset has been preserved. 

Pact Renaissance Collaborative LLC

New York City Housing Authority (Government Partner); Monadnock Development (Developer); Kalel Companies (Developer); Lemor Development (Developer); Community Preservation Corporation (Investor); Community Development Trust (Investor); Jablonski Building Conservation, Inc. (Architectural Conservator); Old Structures Engineering (Structural Engineer); SLM Architecture (Architect); DirtWorks (Landscape Architect); Fondazione Nivola/Museo Nivola (Consultant); Monadnock Construction (General Contractor)