Danielle Parsons unveiled +Untitled+ at our Gala.

For the 2026 + POOL Spring Gala, artist Danielle Parsons created +Untitled+, a large-scale video installation that brings the hidden microscopic life of New York’s waterways into view. Using custom-fabricated plus-shaped microscope slides, microorganisms collected from the East River, and specialized microscopy techniques, Parsons created vivid underwater scenes that connect + POOL’s vision for a swimmable future with the living ecosystems already thriving beneath the river’s surface. The work invited viewers to experience the East River not simply as infrastructure or backdrop, but as a dynamic habitat filled with beauty, complexity, and wonder. Through the intersection of art, science, and technology, +Untitled+ encouraged a deeper appreciation for the microscopic organisms that help sustain healthy waterways, reminding us that fostering connection is the first step toward stewardship.

Learn more about the artist and work here!