Several new works of art are lining the banks of the Hudson River as part of the Model to Monument program. NY1's Roger Clark filed this report.

Lee Apt is thrilled to have her colorful sculpture featuring geometric shapes on display in Riverside Park South. She spent a lot of time here growing up on the Upper West Side.

"The whole thing, the colorfulness of us is meant to appeal to children or the child in all of us,” says Apt. “But in addition to that it has a sophisticated feel which is important to me." 

Apt's "Jubilation" is one of seven new large sculptures along the Hudson from 59th to 72nd streets—part of the Model to Monument Program. This year's theme is Patterns in Nature. The partnership between the Art Students League and the Parks Department is in its fifth year.

"People get to see new art, beautifully created art, year round,” says Executive Director Ira Goldberg. “And it changes every year so there is an anticipation of what's going to come next." 

The artists worked on their projects for nine months, learning the ins and outs of having a large installation in a public space. Some of the sculptures weigh more than a ton and took a week to install.

"It's a completely different logic to create large scale like this,” says artist Caroline Bergonzi. “And to interact with people is so exciting."

You can see Bergonzi's 'Metamorphisis,' a phoenix rising from the ashes of rust to gold, and Ken Shih's "Can love pervade space", with its 50 bust portraits of people in the artist's life. For the sculptors, it's an opportunity to have their work seen by the tens of thousands of joggers, cyclists and walkers who will pass by them over the next year.

"Many people would stop by and say, 'hey, this is wonderful,'" says artist Sukyung Kim. “This is the best art I have ever seen, and so, what a joy as an artist."  

"We started with a small model of 12 inches scale, and just seeing it now in the park it is amazing to see it 20 feet tall,” says Paola Morales, another artist.

In addition to the sculptures at Riverside Park South, there is going to be a giant one on display at Van Cortlandt Park in The Bronx. It's a collaboration between all seven artists. You can see that starting on June 25.

For more information, visit theartstudentsleague.org.