At the southernmost point of Roosevelt Island, in the heart of New York City’s East River, stands a monumental bronze bust of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd president of the United States. The island was renamed in his honor in 1973, the same year modernist architect Louis Kahn was commissioned to design a memorial to Roosevelt’s “Four Freedoms”: freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. Decades later, Kahn’s vision was realized in Four Freedoms State Park, where trees form a triangular approach to the powerful centerpiece—FDR’s likeness framed in granite and sky. In that same spirit of visionary leadership and public purpose, the Four Freedoms Park Conservancy is launching Art X Freedom, a new public art initiative inspired by Roosevelt’s ideals and Kahn’s architectural legacy. The program transforms the park into a platform for artistic expression, civic engagement, and dialogue around freedom and social justice.  Debuting September 10, coinciding with the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly and the anniversary of the end of World War II, Art X Freedom opens with Camouflage, a major site-specific installation by Ai Weiwei. Wrapped in camouflage netting, the 3.5-acre memorial becomes an immersive sanctuary prompting reflection on truth, visibility, protection, and the enduring effects of conflict. Visitors will be invited to add their own messages about freedom, weaving personal voices into the collective artwork. Camouflage is debuting September 10. The date coincides with the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly and the anniversary of the end of World War II. (Iwan Baan) Born in Beijing and now living in Portugal, Weiwei is a contemporary artist and activist. Weiwei left China in 2015 after facing years of government pressure for criticizing its human rights record, and has since established studios in cities around the world. Weiwei’s work blends traditional craftsmanship with bold ideas, driven by a strong stance on authority and history—and freedom. Following Weiwei’s installation, Art X Freedom will commission future artists to design for the site. They will be selected through a juried RFP process.  “This is the first initiative of its kind to transform a presidential memorial into a space for living artistic inquiry,” said Howard Axel, CEO of the Conservancy. Co-chaired by Agnes Gund and Allison Binns, Art X Freedom affirms the enduring power of art to reflect the present—and to help shape a freer, more just future. Roosevelt deeply understood the importance of arts and culture. When he assumed the presidency in 1933, the nation was grappling with the Great Depression. In the years leading up to World War II, Roosevelt introduced the New Deal to revive the economy and create employment. One key initiative was the establishment of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in 1935, which provided jobs for 8.5 million Americans, including many artists. Across the nation, musicians, actors, dancers, writers, photographers, painters, and sculptors were commissioned to produce public works. Beyond offering economic relief, the WPA made art and culture accessible to everyday Americans. Art X Freedom carries forward a similar vision—investing in creativity and expanding access to the arts.