Artist Erika Malzoni’s installation displays “eu sou diferente de você — não sou diferente de você” in 12 languages in Times Square through Feb. 18.
A work by Brazilian visual artist Erika Malzoni is on view in Times Square, New York, through February 18. The installation appears on two giant digital screens seen by thousands of passersby every day. In addition, the project places Brazilian art in one of the city’s most iconic public spaces.
The artwork features the phrase “eu sou diferente de você — não sou diferente de você.” It runs in 12 languages, including English and other languages widely spoken by New York residents. As a result, the piece directly engages with the city’s linguistic diversity.
Meaning and reflection
According to the artist, the statement was designed to circulate through the city while reflecting its real diversity. At the same time, it aims to create immediate identification for people who encounter it. In this way, the work reaches audiences within the fast pace of the urban landscape.
“These phrases emerge as a moment of communication, a silent reminder that many voices, origins, and differences can occupy the same space, where the world briefly gathers, crosses paths, and moves on,” Malzoni says.
By placing opposing statements side by side, the installation highlights tension and coexistence. The contrast amplifies questions about difference, belonging, and shared human presence. Therefore, the work invites reflection inside the everyday flow of public space.
A New York cultural initiative
The invitation came from ZAZ10TS, described as an ongoing cultural initiative. The project integrates art into buildings and identifies artists whose works resonate with New York’s urban, cultural, and social environment. In addition, it exhibits art in public and digital spaces through an approach that sits outside the traditional circuit.
