Now or Never, a public art display, opened March 21 at Waterfront Park.
Alexandria’s Waterfront Park has once again been transformed into an open-air gallery, as the city unveiled its 2026 public art installation, Now or Never, a large-scale, interactive work by artist Alicia Eggert. The installation is the eighth entry in the City of Alexandria’s annual Site See: New Views in Old Town public art series and will remain on view through November 2026.
Commissioned by the City of Alexandria’s Public Art Program, Now or Never features two monumental, billboard-style sculptures positioned face to face across a narrow passageway at Waterfront Park, located at 1 Prince Street. One structure displays the word “NOW,” while the opposing sculpture reads “NEVER,” inviting visitors to physically walk between the two messages as part of the artistic experience.
The artwork officially opened to the public on March 21 with a community reception and remarks by the artist. The installation is accessible daily from early morning until late evening, allowing residents and visitors to experience the piece at different times of day along the Potomac River waterfront.
“I love the way that Now can mean lots of different things depending on the context in which you use it,” Eggert said at the opening. “It can mean right this very second, it can mean today, it can mean this year or this century. And Never is really like the opposite so for me this was about creating this oppositional moment where people feel like they're on opposite sides but then when you get up close to them it's about a shift in perspective.”
Eggert, a Texas-based artist known for text-based sculptures that explore language and time, was selected for the 2026 installation following a competitive review process by the Alexandria Commission for the Arts. Her previous work has been exhibited at institutions including the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and international venues in Europe and Asia.
Local arts leaders say Now or Never continues the Site See series’ mission of activating Waterfront Park as a civic space that blends contemporary art with Alexandria’s historic setting.
More information about Now or Never and the Site See: New Views in Old Town public art series is available through the City of Alexandria’s public art program.