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For Immediate Release: July 21, 2025
Contact:
publicaffairs@culture.nyc.gov
Kevin Ortiz, 718-472-8559, kortiz2@nycsca.org
DEBORAH CZERESKO CELEBRATES FOOD AND COMMUNITY WITH A DELECTABLE GLASS SCULPTURE COMMISSIONED BY DCLA’S PERCENT FOR ART PROGRAM AND SCA’S PUBLIC ART FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Everybody’s Got to Eat by Deborah Czeresko. Photo by Jeffrey Brandsted.
Bronx, NY— The NYC Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA), in partnership with the New York City School Construction Authority (SCA), is delighted to announce a new artwork commission “Everybody’s Got to Eat” by artist Deborah Czeresko. The artwork is a unique, permanent installation created specifically for the new Academy for Personal Leadership and Excellence Elementary in the Bronx, which offers 451 seats to New York City elementary students. “Everybody’s Got to Eat” seeks to create welcoming, inspiring experiences for students, families, faculty and community members.
The artwork was commissioned by DCLA’s Percent for Art program, in collaboration with SCA’s Public Art for Public Schools, and NYC Public Schools. It will join the more than 2,000 artworks in NYC Public Schools’ official art collection, which dates back to the late 1800s and features such esteemed artists as Romare Bearden, Donna Dennis, Jeffrey Gibson, Hans Hoffmann, Faith Ringgold, Sarah Sze and Louis Comfort Tiffany.
“Everybody’s Got to Eat” is a vibrant, hanging glass sculpture conceived around the title phrase that invites all people to share and connect through food and nourishment. It is comprised of twenty-seven hand-blown oversized sculptures of fruits and vegetables including bananas, bok choy, corn, dragon fruit, garlic, okra, chili peppers, squash and watermelon. These specific foods were chosen as a celebration of life and human identity. They reference local grocers, as well as global and regional cultures and cuisines. A stainless-steel vine ties everything together, representing communal connectivity.
Czeresko’s sculpture acts as a dynamic focal point for students as they move in the open stairwell between the school’s lobby and cafeteria. “Everybody’s Got to Eat” showcases the beauty of everyday foods and emphasizes the important role of meals as moments for connection, community and sustenance.
“Public art enriches our schools by transforming them into more engaging and imaginative spaces that spark curiosity and creative thinking," said NYC Department of Cultural Affairs Commissioner Laurie Cumbo. "Deborah Czeresko’s 'Everybody’s Got to Eat' is a joyful and vibrant celebration of culture, identity, and the act of sharing food—something that connects us all. Through our Percent for Art program, we were proud to partner with the School Construction Authority to commission this work, which will nourish the imaginations of young people and bring a sense of connection and wonder to all who pass through the halls.”
“SCA believes that every school should be a place where students feel inspired, seen, and connected—and public art plays a powerful role in that mission,” said NYC School Construction Authority President and CEO Nina Kubota. “Deborah Czeresko’s joyful and imaginative sculpture brings warmth, beauty, and a sense of belonging to this new school building. We’re proud to support artwork that reflects the diversity of our communities and enriches the learning environment for all.”
“’Everybody’s Got to Eat’ is as stunning and delectable as it is technically masterful,” said Tania Duvergne, Public Art for Public Schools Director. “Czeresko is one of the foremost glassblowers of our time and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome this ambitious work into our collection. Its universal message is certain to delight and inspire students today and for generations to come.”
“Nothing brings people together like good food!” said artist Deborah Czeresko. “Food has the power to remind us of our shared humanity. With this piece, I wanted to create something that feels both familiar and spectacular—something that reflects the importance of feeding both the body and the spirit. Food is a form of care and connection, and everyone deserves a seat at the table.”
Project Collaborators
Deborah Czeresko created the hand-blown artwork at Brooklyn Glass, an artist-owned studio in Gowanus dedicated to supporting glass artists and craftspeople. The facility provides expertise and resources in glassblowing, hot casting, kiln casting, neon, flameworking, and fusing. Versteeg Art Fabricators installed the artwork and fabricated its metal hanging system. Additional expertise was provided by project architects Gran Kriegel Associates in conjunction with SCA.
About Deborah Czeresko
Deborah Czeresko (b. 1961, New Jersey; lives and works in New York, NY) is known for their glass artworks that bridge traditional Venetian glassblowing techniques with contemporary discourse around labor, gender and social equity. Czeresko’s work often centers on the body, nourishment and shared human experience. Czerezko has achieved notable recognition in the art world; they have exhibited at the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum and New Orleans Museum of Art and their artworks have been acquired by the Corning Museum of Glass, among others. The commission at Academy for Personal Leadership and Excellence Elementary is Czeresko’s first permanent public artwork in a school setting, expanding their practice into educational and civic space. The commission deepens their exploration of food as both a cultural symbol and essential need, connecting with students and community through humor, bold form and material vibrancy.
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About NYC Department of Cultural Affairs
The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) is dedicated to supporting and strengthening New York City’s vibrant cultural life. DCLA works to promote and advocate for quality arts programming and to articulate the contribution made by the cultural community to the City’s vitality. The Department represents and serves nonprofit cultural organizations involved in the visual, literary, and performing arts; public-oriented science and humanities institutions including zoos, botanical gardens, and historic and preservation societies; and creative artists at all skill levels who live and work within the City’s five boroughs. DCLA also provides donated materials for arts programs offered by the public schools and cultural and social service groups, and commissions permanent works of public art at City-funded construction projects throughout the five boroughs. For more information visit www.nyc.gov/culture.
About Public Art for Public Schools
Public Art for Public Schools (PAPS), a division of the New York City School Construction Authority, is the only program in the country dedicated exclusively to public art in pre-K – 12 schools. As stewards of New York City Public Schools’ public art collection, PAPS oversees more than 2,000 artworks, dating from the late 19th century to the present, installed in schools throughout the five boroughs. PAPS preserves and celebrates this rich visual legacy through conservation, educational outreach, and research. For newly constructed school buildings, the program commissions contemporary site-specific artworks that enhance learning environments, foster critical thinking, spark curiosity and inspire creativity. Together these initiatives offer students the joy and transformative potential of art as an essential part of their educational experience. For more information visit www.nycsca.org/publicartforpublicschools.
About NYC School Construction Authority
The School Construction Authority's (SCA) mission is to design and construct safe, attractive and environmentally sound public schools for children throughout the many communities of New York City. We are dedicated to building and modernizing schools in a responsible, cost-effective manner while achieving the highest standards of excellence in safety, quality and integrity. Established by the New York State Legislature in December 1988, the SCA has provided over 333,000 new school seats to New York City students, and protected, repaired and upgraded over 1,800 schools in over 1,400 school buildings with over 12,500 capital improvement projects. For more information visit www.nycsca.org and follow us on social media.