Es Devlin’s illuminated choral sculpture in New York celebrates human connection
Es Devlin’s ‘Your Voices’ at Lincoln Center, commissioned by Moët & Chandon, is an ode to the 700 languages spoken in New York City, the most linguistically diverse place on the planet

While New York City is aglow with many state-of-the-art public installations every holiday season, one piece stands head and shoulders above the rest this year: Es Devlin’s illuminated revolving sculpture, Your Voices, which has just been unveiled at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.
Commissioned by champagne house Moët & Chandon, Your Voices is situated on Josie Robertson Plaza, the public square that serves as a gateway to the Lincoln Center’s constituent indoor performance venues, including the Metropolitan Opera House. Stretched among the sculpture’s structural arcs are 700 glowing cords, representing the 700 languages currently spoken in New York City – the most linguistically diverse place on the planet.
Es Devlin, Your Voices, installation view at the Lincoln Center, New York
An accompanying soundscape, created by Polyphonia, weaves together some of these languages, from Algerian Arabic, Alsatian, Azeri and Ashanti to Zapotec, Zarma and Zulu, all citing a memorable line from EM Forster’s 1910 novel Howards End: ‘Only connect, and live in fragments no longer.’
‘The work responds to anthropologist Wade Davis’ observation, “Every language is an old growth forest of the mind, a watershed of thought, an entire ecosystem of spiritual possibilities,”’ says Devlin, who previously explored the theme of linguistic diversity in her installation for the Tate Modern Garden in London, titled Come Home Again.
Es Devlin pictured with Your Voices at the Lincoln Center, New York
She continues, ‘The viewer’s perspective is spliced and framed by the shifting strands of the sculpture as it turns, evoking the way our perspectives are enriched and shaped by experiencing the linguistic structures and identities of others.’
Visitors to Your Voices are encouraged to learn about the work of the Endangered Language Alliance, a non-profit documenting and protecting Indigenous, minority and endangered languages in New York City and beyond, which collaborated on Devlin’s piece.
Es Devlin, Your Voices, installation view at the Lincoln Center, New York
As with Devlin’s London installation, Your Voices will play host to multilingual choral performances over the course of its display. The featured choral groups, ranging from Ukrainian Village Voices to the Harlem Japanese Gospel Choir, have been selected by the Lincoln Center for their unique voices and languages. Performances, which are free and open to the public, take place every Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening at 6pm, until and including 18 December 2022.
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Beyond inviting viewers to consider the cultural, historical and biological knowledge that exists in languages, Your Voices is a celebration of human connection and an expression of generosity – values that are important in all seasons, but resonate particularly at this time of the year.
The performance calendar for Your Voices (on view until 18 December 2022) can be accessed at lincolncenter.org. Tickets are not required and admission is first-come, first-served.
Es Devlin, Your Voices, installation view at the Lincoln Center, New York
TF Chan is a former editor of Wallpaper* (2020-23), where he was responsible for the monthly print magazine, planning, commissioning, editing and writing long-lead content across all pillars. He also played a leading role in multi-channel editorial franchises, such as Wallpaper’s annual Design Awards, Guest Editor takeovers and Next Generation series. He aims to create world-class, visually-driven content while championing diversity, international representation and social impact. TF joined Wallpaper* as an intern in January 2013, and served as its commissioning editor from 2017-20, winning a 30 under 30 New Talent Award from the Professional Publishers’ Association. Born and raised in Hong Kong, he holds an undergraduate degree in history from Princeton University.
-
A bespoke 40m mixed-media dragon is the centrepiece of Glastonbury’s new chill-out area
New for 2025 is Dragon's Tail – a space to offer some calm within Glastonbury’s late-night area with artwork by Edgar Phillips at its heart
-
‘100 Years, 60 Designers, 1 Future’: 1882 Ltd plate auction supports ceramic craft
The ceramics brand’s founder Emily Johnson asked 60 artists, designers, musicians and architects – from John Pawson to Robbie Williams – to design plates, which will be auctioned to fund the next generation of craftspeople
-
Jonathan Anderson’s Dior debut: ‘bringing joy to the art of dressing’
The Irish designer made his much-anticipated debut at Dior this afternoon, presenting a youthful S/S 2026 menswear collection that reworked formal dress codes
-
‘Her pictures looked like pictures everybody knew were the truth’: Diane Arbus at the Armory
Matthieu Humery curates more than 400 of Arbus’ photographs at New York’s Park Avenue Armory – every picture she was known to have printed
-
Out of office: the Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the week
It was a jam-packed week for the Wallpaper* staff, entailing furniture, tech and music launches and lots of good food – from afternoon tea to omakase
-
Out of office: what the Wallpaper* editors have been up to this week
This week saw the Wallpaper* team jet-setting to Jordan and New York; those of us left in London had to make do with being transported via the power of music at rooftop bars, live sets and hologram performances
-
New book celebrates 100 years of New York City landmarks where LGBTQ+ history took place
Marc Zinaman’s ‘Queer Happened Here: 100 Years of NYC’s Landmark LGBTQ+ Places’ is a vital tribute to queer culture
-
Ai Weiwei’s new public installation is coming soon to Four Freedoms State Park
‘Camouflage’ by Ai Weiwei will launch the inaugural Art X Freedom project in September 2025, a new programme to investigate social justice and freedom
-
Leonard Baby's paintings reflect on his fundamentalist upbringing, a decade after he left the church
The American artist considers depression and the suppressed queerness of his childhood in a series of intensely personal paintings, on show at Half Gallery, New York
-
This rainbow-coloured flower show was inspired by Luis Barragán's architecture
Modernism shows off its flowery side at the New York Botanical Garden's annual orchid show.
-
‘Psychedelic art palace’ Meow Wolf is coming to New York
The ultimate immersive exhibition, which combines art and theatre in its surreal shows, is opening a seventh outpost in The Seaport neighbourhood