In Midtown Manhattan at Rockefeller Center, a monumental steel sculpture crafted from roadway guardrails stretches up to the sky, framed by the location’s iconic Art Deco architecture. The creation of German artist Bettina Pousttchi, Vertical Highways V03 (2025) transforms the standard, everyday objects into a testament of change and the malleability of boundaries—both physically and conceptually.

“By installing my sculpture Vertical Highways V03 in front of Rockefeller Center, I want to initiate a dialogue of art and architecture that resonates with the urban history of New York City,” said Pousttchi in a statement.

Bettina Pousttchi, Vertical Highways V03 (2025). Photo: Guillaume Ziccarelli. Courtesy of Buchmann Galerie.

The culmination of over 15 years engaging with public spaces and site-specific installations, Pousttchi’s work operates in the traditions of both Minimalism and the legacy of ready-mades as pioneered by Marcel Duchamp. Detaching everyday objects and materials from their initial function—here, physical barriers usually installed as protective restrictions preventing car crashes—the artist is able to tap into broader conceptual themes. Through the use of color, bending, and compositional arrangement, objects that once evoked ideas around regulation, barriers, and the restriction of movement now evoke to fluidity, evolution, and change.

Prior to its unveiling at Rockefeller Center, other sculptures from the series were exhibited in the Jardin des Tuileries, Paris; and as a permanent installations in front of the Berlin Central Station and Istanbul Modern Museum respectively. The internationally featured series further compounds the underlying concepts interrogated by Pousttchi, such as the dissolving of boundaries and borders, and the architectural and cultural exchange that is possible through art.

Bettina Pousttchi, Vertical Highways V03 (2025). Photo: Guillaume Ziccarelli. Courtesy of Buchmann Galerie.

Established roughly a century ago by John D. Rockefeller Jr., and his wife Abigail, Pousttchi’s work is the latest project born from the Rockefeller Center public art program and is a potent and apropos piece that reflects both the artist and program’s shared aims, bringing creative dialogues to the public and engaging with the built environment.

“Pousttchi’s Vertical Highways V03 transforms the language of infrastructure into a striking visual experience,” said Head of Rockefeller Center and Senior Managing Director of Tishman Speyer, EB Kelly. “Public art has long been central to Rockefeller Center’s identity, and this installation continues that tradition in a way that feels both contemporary and deeply connected to our architectural heritage. We’re proud to share this work with everyone who visits Rockefeller Center.”

Bettina Pousttchi, Vertical Highways V03 (2025) is on view at Rockefeller Center, New York, through April 17, 2026.