A walk through City Hall Park in Lower Manhattan is quite amusing these days, thanks to a new public art exhibiton by the Public Art Fund.

Lightness of Being features works by 11 international artists. Quirky sculptures and pieces –a tipped John Deere tractor replica, a stationary pair of metal flip-flops, a circle of silly-looking mythological creatures, a pattern-reflecting “sun catcher”, a bent-up bicycle and benches shaped as vegetables, among others - are placed throughout the park in a charming installation that has “autumn stroll” written all over it.

One of the “sculptures” is actually a live clown who wanders the park and performs daily, weather permitting. The clown is a “stand-in for a modern-day shaman,” according to artist Ugo Rondinone.

The exhibition takes a refreshing, light-hearted approach to traditional public art. Park-goers and passersby are instantly engaged in the clever, playful distortion of real properties.

“Whether referring to the history of art, abstract forms, or simply to everyday life, the works of these 11 artists show us that serious art also has its lighter side,” the Public Art Fund says.

Lightness of Being is funded by the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation and will be on display through December 13.

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