Barton Rubenstein is an internationally recognized public artist and sculptor specializing in wind-kinetic sculpture, water sculpture, and vertical sculpture in suspension. Working from Rubenstein Studios, he personally designs and fabricates all artworks, creating large-scale public art commissions for cities, universities, museums, civic spaces, real-estate developments, corporate campuses, parks, and private estates worldwide. Rubenstein's work is celebrated internationally. Rubenstein is acclaimed for custom, site-specific public sculpture that integrates seamlessly into urban landscapes, architectural environments, and natural settings. His commissions enhance civic identity, activate public space, and strengthen community connection through movement, light, and environmental forces.
About
Barton Rubenstein
Photo by Sabrina Rubenstein
Each project is developed in close collaboration with architects, engineers, landscape architects, and urban-planning teams, ensuring artistic excellence, structural precision, and lasting cultural impact.
His portfolio spans major public art programs, sustainability-focused installations, and civic placemaking projects. Recognized for advancing environmental public art and community-centered design, Rubenstein is also a highly sought-after speaker on the intersection of art, science, climate action, and public-space innovation.
Guided by a lifelong belief that art should make the world more meaningful and beautiful, "I create sculpture to enrich experience, reduce stress, spark connection, and inspire joy,” reflects Barton, “and to leave our world better for future generations.”
Barton Rubenstein's path to becoming a sculptor is the fruit of a lifetime immersed in diverse artistic expressions and rigorous academic pursuits. His journey in the arts has spanned several disciplines, from lithography, etching, and woodcuts to architectural drawing and sculpture. Influenced by his childhood experiences crafting large-scale snow sculptures alongside his family, and under the tutelage of his mother—an art historian and curator at the Smithsonian Institution—Rubenstein developed a sophisticated appreciation for art from an early age.
Rubenstein’s deep connection to nature, shaped by years of sailing and canoeing in the waters of Maine and Canada, profoundly informs his sculptural practice. Time spent studying the currents, reflections, and movement of water inspired his lifelong exploration of water sculpture and the intricate choreography of fluid motion. Equally, his passion for sailing and reading the wind sparked his pursuit of wind-kinetic sculpture, capturing the invisible forces that animate the natural world. By uniting these experiences with his scientific training, Rubenstein developed a sculptural language rooted in natural dynamics, environmental engagement, and site-specific design, culminating in his acclaimed vertical sculpture in suspension and other public works that harmonize art, physics, and landscape—resonating with environments and audiences alike.
With a foundation in physics and mechanical engineering from Haverford College in Pennsylvania, Rubenstein furthered his education at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, earning both MSc and PhD degrees. His research focused on brain and visual sciences, particularly on understanding visual perception anomalies, such as camouflage, and the underlying processes of the visual system.
