Artist: Neil Hamamoto

Title: ABSTRACT/CONCRETE

Location: Canal Park through July 2026

Installed by: NYC Parks Department Art in the Parks program

Bio: Neil Hamamoto, born 1993, New York City, is a conceptual artist based here in the city making work in sculpture, painting, photography and installation. ABSTRACT/CONCRETE is part of his ongoing “word/PLAY” series which aims to expose how words and sentences develop their truth only from their use within specific contexts.

He uses a range of materials and fabrication techniques that center around themes of mass consumption, capitalism, language, social systems and the failures of humanity. He aims to uncover deeper meaning behind everyday objects and often recontextualizes commercially manufactured objects to invoke the feeling of newness.

Since 2018 Neil has been dedicated to a social art practice he founded: WORTHLESSSTUDIOS – a Brooklyn based arts not-for-profit with the mission of supporting emerging artists with studio space, tools and technical assistance. As the organization’s artistic director, he works closely with emerging artists to bring large scale sculpture and installation works to life.

He also has a piece in the lobby of the Google offices at Pier 57; and WORTHLESSSTUDIOS produced a project with NYC Parks in 2020 reusing plywood from boarded up storefronts, covered here in The Times.

Neil holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering – product design from Stanford University.