Due to heavy rain in the forecast, tonight’s High Line Tour: From Freight to Flowers has been canceled. We look forward to seeing you on a future tour!
your inbox
Sign up for the High Line newsletter for the latest updates, stories, events & more.
Nidhal Chamekh
Friction
Nidhal Chamekh (b. 1985, Dahmani, Tunisia) lives and works in Paris, France and Dahmani.
Friction joins together fragments of the head of the Apollo of Mantua and a Punu mask from Gabon into a single, divided figure. The vertical seam evokes the Atlantic Ocean as a site of rupture, recalling the transatlantic slave trade and ongoing cultural entanglement. Combining cast aluminum and carved wood, the work confronts colonial classifications while merging distinct artistic and historical traditions.
Please share your thoughts by September 8, 2026
Can you imagine this artwork on the Plinth? Why or why not? Is this proposal a good fit for the High Line? For New York City? For our time? Your comments will be shared with High Line Art's curatorial team and will help inform their selection of the shortlist of artists for the seventh and eighth commissions. Include your email if you'd like to stay up-to-date on the Plinth process.
Support
Major support for the High Line Plinth is provided by members of the High Line Plinth Committee and contemporary art leaders committed to realizing major commissions and engaging in the public success of the Plinth. Learn more about the High Line Plinth Committee.
Renderings courtesy of the artist.