2025 Waterfront Public Art: Break Water

From Our Partners

Waterfront Public Art Installation by Nekisha Durrett
March to November 2025

B

Break Water is the seventh annual temporary public art installation at Waterfront Park, on display from late March to November 2025 as part of the City of Alexandria’s Site See: New Views in Old Town series.

The sculpture draws inspiration from Alexandria’s waterfront being a place where natural forces and human activity intersect, often with profound consequences.

The centerpiece represents the sidewheel from the steamboat River Queen, a vessel that carried the promise of Black ownership during the early 20th century. Encircled by black sandbags, the sculpture is a tribute to the strength and resilience of Black Americans who have endured systemic marginalization while creating spaces of belonging and creativity. In contrast to the dark tones of the sandbags and sculpture, the ground mural displays colorful graphics and shuffleboard games, echoing the vibrant life on deck of the River Queen.

Meet the Artist

D.C.-based mixed media artist Nekisha Durrett brings history forward through modern visual language in artwork shown across the country.

“The word ‘break’ is central to the artwork and conjures multiple layers of meaning. In jazz, the ‘break’ is a moment of improvisation, a rupture in the music where new possibilities emerge. It is in this spirit that Break Water seeks to reclaim and reinterpret the break as both a physical and metaphorical space of resistance, memory and transformation.”

Learn More

To learn more about public artwork in Alexandria, VA, explore an interactive map and stay tuned for an artist interview with STUDIOKCA.

Alexandria Public Art Map

Past Installations

Learn more about past installations in the Site See: New Views in Old Town annual temporary public art series below.

 

Interstellar Influencer (Make an Impact)

Two Boxes of Oranges and Admonia Jackson

I Love You

Groundswell

Wrought, Knit, Labors, Legacies

Mirror Mirror

#visitALX

Photos submitted by Alexandria visitors like you.

From our partners