On Sunday, October 26, 2025, families and visitors encountered offensive content and combative behavior in the back studio of House 11. This should not have happened. We offer our sincerest apology for the harm caused.
House 11 is a restorative project, and we are devastated that someone would use this space as a personal platform to sow discord. We are deeply troubled by the actions of an unauthorized artist.
The individual responsible was not part of our programming. A current artist-in-residence invited this unauthorized person into a back studio and allowed them to display work without approval. We had no prior knowledge of this display and view this as a deliberate violation.
Like many visitors, members of our team encountered this display and were personally affected by it. We share the community's distress; at the same time, it remains our duty to protect visitors and uphold standards in our spaces.
Our immediate response on Sunday: we directed the studio to be closed and the engagement to cease, instructed the guest artist to remove all materials, and required her to vacate within an hour of notification. Since Sunday, we have revoked access for the guest artist and for the resident who invited her; neither will be invited back. We notified the Trust for Governors Island and are cooperating fully.
To reinforce safeguards going forward, we are implementing:
Written pre-approval for any display, installation, or public-adjacent activity in shared spaces (including studios).
Registered collaborators only: all collaborators must be cleared in advance and complete a brief orientation; unregistered collaborators are not permitted to use the site.
No party on Governors Island—House 11, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, or the Trust for Governors Island—had knowledge of or approved this display. Our continued commitment is to protect visitors, uphold our standards, and maintain House 11 as a safe, respectful place for the public.
Again, we are deeply sorry to those who were harmed and to families whose experience was disrupted.
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Swale House is a dynamic public art and community platform on Governors Island, connecting ecological justice, food access, and creative practice. Collaborating with partners including the Bronx Museum, Bronx River Alliance, Creative Time, and Urban Soils Institute, programming engages youth and communities in sustainable food systems, environmental stewardship, and civic advocacy. Swale House offers art experiences, participatory workshops, and educational initiatives, advancing policy, and cultivating resilient urban ecologies across New York City.
The Swale House gives space to art, science, and environmental justice projects working toward public food, public water, and healthy soil. Swale House is managed by Sarah Olson and curated by Kim Darling.
The Urban Soils Institute and the Art Extension Service also runs a series of free soil testing events. Below is a sample event:
