Launched in 2016, Swale is a floating art project conceived by interdisciplinary artist Mary Mattingly to sidestep a law prohibiting the cultivation of food on public land in New York. Sailing under maritime law, it functioned as a sculpture, ecological infrastructure, and civic proposal. It hosted over eighty species of edible and medicinal plants, offering the public the opportunity to harvest them for free. By docking at various public piers and collaborating with local organizations, Swale sparked new debates on food access, land rights, and urban ecology. In 2017, thanks to its influence, the first terrestrial “Foodway” was created in the Bronx, which is still active today. In 2025, Swale will launch a permanent fleet of three barges, designed in collaboration with local communities, students from the Pratt Institute, and over 130,000 citizens. The public program’s activities will include topics such as public art, climate justice, well-being, and ecological pedagogy. Swale aims to inspire new uses for urban public spaces, with a focus on resilience and accessibility.
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