Park update: From June 16 – 20, the section of the High Line from 23rd to 30th Streets will be temporarily closed. Visitors may exit at those streets and walk along 10th Avenue to re-enter the park.
Join or renew today at the Spike ($60) level or higher to get our limited-edition Dinosaur tote bag, among other exclusive member benefits!
your inbox
Sign up for the High Line newsletter for the latest updates, stories, events & more.
Leilah Babirye
Agali Awamu
Leilah Babirye (b. 1985, Kampala, Uganda) lives in New York.
Agali Awamu (Togetherness) is a 16-foot-tall cast bronze sculpture featuring two genderless faces connected through intricate, interwoven rubber braids. The faces point vigilantly in two opposite directions, watching over passersby underneath. Babirye designed the piece specifically to transcend the dynamics of race, gender, and identity, allowing viewers to make their own interpretations. The Lugandan phrase agali awamu alludes to “togetherness,” but the term also encompasses the communal spirit of uniting in solidarity and looking out for one another. The two figures becoming one, interlocked in a protective embrace, embodies the healing process of gathering with one’s chosen family.
Support
Major support for the High Line Plinth is provided by members of the High Line Plinth Committee and contemporary art leaders committed to realizing major commissions and engaging in the public success of the Plinth. Learn more about the High Line Plinth Committee.