Rowen is a magnificent botanical puppet made entirely of plants, seeds, and biodegradable materials that will journey through New York City’s five boroughs over the course of one year. Part art installation, part environmental activism, and part community engagement initiative, Rowen is on a mission to identify and mark vacant lots that could be transformed into community gardens and urban farms, challenging communities to take action. At the end of the year, Rowen’s physical form will be planted as “Rowen Park” in one selected location—transforming from character to living garden. Rowen demonstrates how art can catalyze environmental change: as a replicable public design model, this approach can transform green space advocacy in cities worldwide.
The word “rowen” means a second growth crop. This perfectly captures our mission—to give vacant urban spaces a second life as thriving community gardens. Just as Rowen will ultimately be planted to become a garden itself, we aim to plant the seeds of transformation across New York City.
Rowen serves as both a visual spectacle and a powerful storytelling device. By physically walking through neighborhoods and marking vacant lots, Rowen creates a visible, memorable call to action that engages communities in ways that traditional advocacy cannot. This puppet represents a new mythology for urban transformation—a story powerful enough to change how we see our cities and inspire collective action.
Rowen is the collaborative creation of Jacob Kemp and TALISMAN, an international design and storytelling company; LABLAB, a puppet design studio led by Drama Desk Award-winning Broadway puppet designer Camille Labarre and Emmy-winning costumer Rose Labarre; and a team of dedicated environmental advocates, community organizers, and artists. The project was conceived and directed by Kemp as a submission to the 2024 DataxDesign competition in New York City, with contributions and support from Betsy Hogg, Camille Labarre, Jennifer 8. Lee, Luke Meyer, Anna O’Donoghue, Stephanie Rudig, Austin Young, and Natalie West.
Rowen represents an unprecedented fusion of disciplines: environmental data visualization through performance art, theatrical puppetry serving climate justice, digital technology complementing botanical design, and public activism using character-driven storytelling to motivate communities without shame or guilt. This interdisciplinary approach creates a model never seen before in environmental activism or public design.
Rowen’s journey begins with a pilot launch at a high-visibility cultural event, followed by a six-month journey through all five boroughs.
Rowen’s active journey spans approximately one year, divided into seasonal phases:
You can track Rowen’s location and scheduled appearances through our website and mobile app. We’ll publish routes and event schedules in advance so you can join us for walks, workshops, and community activations in your neighborhood. Events range from free community walks to ticketed special performances.
At the conclusion of their one-year journey, Rowen will be ceremonially planted to become the centerpiece of a new urban garden called Rowen Park. The seeds, plants, and organic materials that make up Rowen’s body will take root, creating a living legacy that continues to grow and inspire.
Rowen addresses multiple interconnected challenges facing New York City:
Rowen also addresses Jennifer 8. Lee’s 2009 New York Times question: “Should the Big Apple’s Official Apple Be Green?” as well as NYC Mayor Eric Adams’ June 2025 proposal to transform vacant, underutilized, and abandoned lots into parkland, playgrounds, and open greenspace. This monumental botanical puppet embodies the answer through direct action.
We have identified over 10,000 city-owned sites that are potentially suitable for urban agriculture. Many of these spaces remain unmarked, unknown, and inaccessible to the communities that could benefit from them.
Urban agriculture provides multiple benefits that address many of NYC’s challenges simultaneously:
Our goals include:
Our mobile app features an interactive map showing all potential urban agriculture sites across NYC. As Rowen visits and marks each location during the journey, dots on the map will turn from red to green, visually tracking progress. Users can scan QR codes at physical landmarks to learn more about specific sites and get involved.
Digital landmarking combines our app technology with physical presence. When Rowen visits a site, it’s marked both digitally (turning green on our map) and physically (through sustainable methods like power-washed QR code stencils, chalk art, or removable moss decals).
We plan to work with IDEKO, an industry leader in permits and logistics for major brands like H&M, SKIMS, and Nike. Their team has extensive government background and expertise to navigate NYC requirements. We’ve also identified key NYC government leaders to collaborate with throughout the project.
There are many ways to get involved:
Absolutely! We need volunteers with diverse skills—from artists and gardeners to data scientists and community organizers. Visit our Volunteer page to see specific opportunities and sign up for everything from event support to garden maintenance.
Yes! We welcome information about potential sites for transformation. Please contact us at rowen@talismanco.com with details about the location, and our team will assess its suitability for urban agriculture and add it to Rowen’s route if appropriate.
We offer educational programs for NYC schools, including visits from Rowen, classroom workshops on urban agriculture, and opportunities for students to participate in garden installations. Our goal is to reach 30,000+ students with hands-on agricultural education.
Yes, we offer various corporate partnership opportunities:
Learn more about partnering with Rowen here.
Yes! Beginning in NYC, Rowen is designed as a licensable public design project that can be adapted to address each city’s unique environmental challenges. We’re already in conversations with potential partners in Los Angeles, London, and beyond.
Our scaling strategy includes:
Rowen represents more than a one-time installation or year-long activation in New York. The project can be used as a blueprint for environmental storytelling that can transform how cities approach urban agriculture and community engagement. Our vision is to turn this from a New York-focused initiative into a national and international movement for urban transformation.
We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit with fiscal sponsorship from the Social Impact Fund. All of our donations go directly towards Rowen’s mission.
Rowen’s journey is designed around NYC’s seasons. The planting of Rowen will depend on frost/freeze periods, and winter activities will focus on indoor educational programs and awareness campaigns, including potential pop-up kiosks at locations like Bryant Park, Union Square, and beyond.
Community engagement is central to our mission. We work directly with residents, community organizations, and local leaders to ensure that new green spaces serve existing communities rather than displacing them. Our educational programs and volunteer opportunities prioritize local hiring and leadership development.
Absolutely. Rowen is constructed entirely from biodegradable materials—plants, seeds, and organic components that will literally become a garden. Our physical marking methods are sustainable (water-based, removable, or beneficial like power-washing), and our entire approach promotes environmental restoration.
Contact us with questions at rowen@talismanco.com or follow us via @findrowen to track Rowen’s journey, volunteer, or learn how you can help turn the Big Apple green.
