Hudson Canyon sea life lights up a Brooklyn Bridge pylon Friday night, free
An 18-minute ocean film loops on the bridge's eastern pylon on Sept. 25 from 7 to 10 p.m. The storm canceled Saturday's showing.
A free ocean-themed projection will cover the eastern pylon of the Brooklyn Bridge on Friday, Sept. 25, from 7 to 10 p.m. For the clearest view, head to Brooklyn Bridge Park and find the Emily Warren Roebling Plaza. Organizers canceled the Saturday showing because of the weekend storm, so Friday is the only night.
The piece is called AQUA COSMOS: The Hudson Canyon. Multimedia artist Anita Glesta made it with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and ArtW. No artwork has ever been projected onto that pylon before.
What the Brooklyn Bridge projection shows
The 18-minute video plays on a loop. It combines historical scientific drawings, animation, whale call recordings and new NOAA underwater footage shot in 2025. The subject is the Hudson Canyon, 100 miles off the New York coast. It is the largest undersea canyon on the Atlantic Coast and is similar in size to the Grand Canyon. Whales, sea turtles, sharks and cold-water corals live there.
Glesta also uses journals and artwork from the 1925 Arcturus Expedition, a voyage that promoted pioneering women artists and scientists. “Art can take us somewhere we cannot easily go ourselves,” she said.
Why WCS wants a Hudson Canyon marine sanctuary
WCS is leading a public campaign to have the canyon named a National Marine Sanctuary. The projection aims to build community support for protecting the habitat. John F. Calvelli of WCS said viewers will find “an extraordinary ocean wilderness” on one of the city’s best-known landmarks, a place most New Yorkers have never been able to see.
No ticket is needed, and the viewing is open to everyone.
Quick answers
When is the Brooklyn Bridge projection?
Friday, Sept. 25, from 7 to 10 p.m. The Saturday showing was canceled because of the storm.
Where is the best place to watch it?
Organizers point viewers to Brooklyn Bridge Park, specifically its Emily Warren Roebling Plaza.
Do I need a ticket?
No. The projection is free and open to everyone.
