CANstruction Exhibit At The Winter Garden

Canstruction is an international charity competition where architects, engineers, contractors and students they mentor, compete to design and build giant structures made entirely from full cans of food.

At the close of the competition all of the food from the New York City competition will be donated to City Harvest.

The Winter Garden

The 16 annual CANstruction is taking place right now, and the structures are exhibited in the Winter Garden and Courtyard Gallery of the World Financial Center, 220 Vesey Street and the West Side Highway. There are a total of 40 structures in the exhibition, and 22 structures located in the Winter Garden will be on view from November 20 – December 2, from 7am – 11pm. The 18 structures located in the Courtyard Gallery will be on view from November 20 – December 8, 9am – 5pm.

The exhibit was delightful to see! It was amazing to see the sculptures entirely made out of cans of food that you find in common use. I tried to take photos of as many of the CANstruction sculptures as I could in both the Winter Garden and the Courtyard Gallery.

Please click on to enlarge the photos to see their detail.

This entry was entitled "Dog-Gone eCANomic Crisis" and was comprised of 4,032 cans of food, such as Bumble Bee Solid White albacore Tuna Fish, and Del Monte Italian Green Beans. Yes --it's Snoopy!


This was entitled "Winning Drive" and depicts a football player driving down the filed to score a goal and win the game. The theme is the drive to end hunger one can at a time. It is composed of 2,900 cans of food, such as Goya Chick Peas, College Inn Chicken Broth, etc.

The next sculpture was entitled "We Can Do It" inspired by the famous poster by J. Howard Miller, and is composed from 6277 cans of food such as Hunts Tomato paste and Brunswick sardines.

This one is simply entitled "The Heart, " and asks us to have the heart to end hunger. It is composed of 5,200 cans of Hunts Tomato Sauce.

This entry was entitled "AmericCAN Pastime" and marked the fact that both of the New York baseball teams are building new stadiums and their old stadiums will be demolished or put to another use. They ask that the demolition of their CANstruction exhibit structure will be one act towards ending hunger. It is composed of 3236 cans Bumble Bee Boneless Salmon and Stop and Shop Chunk Light Tuna in water, among other cans of food.

This is " ReCANstruction of Persistence Of Memory." I had a hard time visualizing this effort to mimic Salvatore Dali's famous painting of watches melting onto the landscape. Can you see it? It is composed of 3,100 cans of Goya products and Amy's Low Sodium product cans.

"Souper Bowl Champs" -- the NY Giants Football team won the Super Bowl this year, and this sculpture pays homage to that with 4,704 cans of tuna, hot sauce and College Inn Chicken broth.

This one was cleverly entitled "Manhattan Clam "Chatter' " and is made with 3,326 cans of Sea Watch Chopped Sea Calms and Hunts Whole Tomatoes, among other food cans.

One of my favorites: "Can Tut," was 3,096 cans of Sacramento Tomato Juice, Polar Anchovies, and Starkist Chunk White Tuna, etc.

"Floating Away From Hunger" depicts a NYC water Taxi and is composed of 3,770 cans of pineapples, peaches, pears, black beans, etc.

"Together We CAN!" had the message that "We can make a difference in our community by helping others in need." It depicts the robots Wall-E And Eve, and is made with Hershey's Cocoa, Cafe Bustelo Coffee, and Pringles Chips among other cans of food.

This clever # 2 pencil nub is called "Erasing Hunger" and is composed of 4,378 cans of Del Monte Fruit Cocktail, Stagg Chili, Goya Organic Chick Peas, etc.

"We CAN Knock Hunger Out Of The Park" depicts the NY Mets Shea Stadium Home Rum Apple icon. It is made out of 3,361 cans of Hunts Tomato Sauce, Goya White Hominy, Parade peas, etc.

This sculpture was entitled "C CanTileVers" and is modeled after the newly constructed headquarters of the Central China Television CCTV Network in Beijing, China, with the hope that it broadcasts the end of world hunger. It is composed of 3,000 cans of Goya, Ocean Spray and Del Monte canned products.

This whimsical "Dun CAN Donate" depicts a sprinkled donut being dunked into a first cup of morning coffee. It asks New Yorkers to please give generously to food banks this holiday season. It is composed of 3,241 cans and boxes of DeCecco spaghetti, Carnation Instant Milk, Trader Joe's Black Beans, etc.

"Go To Bat Against Hunger" is 4, 400 cans of Del Monte Green Beans, carnation Instant Milk, Beach Cliff Sardines, etc, depicting a baseball stadium as seen from a center field view.

This unusual can sculpture depicts "scabby the rat" and is called "Striking Against Hunger." A big blow up rat figure is an often used symbol in NYC to shame a business who's employees are on strike, and who have hired replacement workers ("Scabs")for those who are on strike. It is composed of 3,300 cans of Tab Cola, Hershey's Chocolate Syrup, and La Costena Pinto Beans.

This open mouth shark sculpture is called "Attack On Hunger" It is 3,292 cans of Libby Vienna Sausages, Carnation Evaporated Milk, Le Seur Peas, etc.

Look close -- this one is entitled "Plight Of The Honey Bee" and depicts a bee landing on a flower. It is made out of 3, 260 cans of assorted Bumble Bee product's cans. It asks that the dwindling amount of bumble bees be addressed, as this can lead to more hunger if future fruits and vegetables are not pollinated.

"Up Up And Buffet" is composed of 3,060 cans of tuna and Bush's baked Beans! It represents America's "Can Do" spirit in the fight against hunger.

This one is entitled "The Seafarer" and is made with 3,000 various brands of tuna cans in the race against hunger.

This very symbolic sculpture of a white face and a black face joined together is called "United At Last" is made with 6,120 cans of Whole Foods Tuna, Bush's baked Beans and Bumble Bee chunk light tuna. It says: "Yes We Will -- fight hunger"

The next sculpture is in two parts . This bowl and spoon sculpture and ....

....this camera, and is called "Focus On Hunger." It is made with 4,200 cans of Shop Rite canned peaches, tuna and green beans.

Another of my favorite exhibits was this Panda bear sitting in a bamboo patch called "CANda Hunger End?" It is made with 5,525 cans of Bumble Bee Tuna, Whole Foods Tuna, Riceland Brown Rice, and Amy's Organic soup. As the Panda bear he represents is in danger from deforestation of his homeland, and the struggle of world hunger.

This somewhat political one was called "AlasCAN Bridge To Nowhere" and was made with 3, 888 cans of Chef Boyardee Beeferoni, Coco Lopez Cream of Coconut, and Del Monte Stewed Tomatoes, etc. I think that is Sarah Palin saying "hello" to the moose on the bridge.
This sculpture calls itself a "healthy" pork barrel item that will feed many.

"Give Peace a CAN-ce" is made with 3,000 Del Monte canned peaches and mixed fruit.

This beautiful swan is entitled "Swan Cantata" and is composed of an unbelievable 14,568 cans of Swanson Chicken Breast, Swanson Chicken Broth and G'day brand canned products.

This bridge was entitled "Bridging The Hunger Gap," and is made of 2, 417 cans of various brands of sardines and Le Seur canned Peas. It states that even in the United States, which is one of the wealthiest nations in the world, the Department of Agriculture estimates 38 million people live in hunger or at the edge of hunger. It asks us to bridge the gap, and that those with plenty give to those with little.

This cute Mr. Potato Head figure is called " Lend A (Helping) Hand To Hunger" and is made out of 4, 236 cans of varois brands of tuna, Del Monte Vegetables, and Dole Mixed Fruit.

The next is two views of the same very imaginative sculpture.......can you guess what it depicts?

The name on the swimming cap is the big clue! It is Olympic swimming champion, 8 Gold Medal winner, Michael Phelps, and is entitled "AmeriCAN Dream." It is composed of 5, 592 cans of variopus brands of tuna and and Nestle bottled water. It proclaims that with hard work and preserverance we can win the war of hunger and help more people realize their American dream.

The last CANstruction photo I have here today is called " I Pledge Of Allegiance to help end hunger." It is made out of 1, 503 cans of Campbell's Tomato Soup, Hunts Tomato Paste, Bumble Bee Tuna, and Dole Pineapple Juice.

It salutes all who lend a hand to fight hunger by participating in CANstruction.

A poster was next to each exhibit sculpture like this one in the photo below. It included the title, the amount of cans used, the shopping list of brands used, the firm which developed the theme, the team members, and special thanks to donators.

This was such an enjoyable exhibit I almost didn't notice the sun beginnning to set out in the New York harbor, signaling it was time for me to meet my husband and go home!

I hope you enjoyed seeing it too! What was your favorite CANstruction exhibit?

Please consider contibuting to a food bank this winter and join in the fight against hunger. If we all do even a little, it can mean a lot!