The 2026 designs were revealed on May 19 as the project’s third iteration. Following more than 400 submissions from artists.
The 2026 Artists
Marieke Perchik Bender, Brooklyn-born and Queens-based, Marieke Perchik Bender is a self-described “garbage geek” whose work blends art, outdoor education, and sustainability. Inspired by street art, wartime shark-mouth designs, and New York’s sanitation workers, her truck design brings humor and toughness to the fight against waste, greed, and indifference.
Her truck will serve Queens Community District 1.
Thought Matter, an independent New York City design and creative studio whose work spans culture, commerce, and civic life.
With CARE IN MOTION, the studio’s truck design honors DSNY workers by making their labor visible and turning everyday street encounters into moments of respect, patience, and shared responsibility. Inspired by New York’s bold visual language, the design celebrates care in action.
The truck will serve Manhattan Community District 12.
Lauren Stewart, came to New York in 2017 to pursue a lifelong dream. After losing her barista job during the pandemic, she committed to art full time, eventually finding her way to tattooing, painting, and community-based creative work.
Inspired by Lady Liberty, spring tulips, and the constant motion of the city, Stewart’s truck design celebrates New York’s pride, grit, and beauty from a distance. Her message is simple: keep clean, keep green, and give NYC the respect it deserves.
The truck will serve Queens Community District 10.
Catherine Witherwax, a Brooklyn native and RISD alum working as a freelance illustrator, designer, and builder. She has also spent five summers teaching art at the Brooklyn Museum with children from across New York City.
Inspired by Pac-Man, Witherwax’s truck design uses humor to highlight the skill, persistence, and importance of sanitation work. Replacing fruit with food waste and ghosts with rats, the design offers a playful reminder of what’s at stake in keeping the city clean.
The truck will serve Brooklyn Community District 1.
Allison Bouganim, a New York City–based artist, designer, and comedian whose work uses humor, joy, and surprise to reimagine public space.
Inspired by postage stamps, discarded objects, and the hidden stories of everyday life, Bouganim’s truck design celebrates New York’s diverse communities and the often-unseen labor of Sanitation Workers who keep the city moving.
The truck will serve Brooklyn Community District 10.
Trucks of Art 2022
The project’s second iteration drew more than 240 submissions from artists around the world - including proposals from as far away as Israel and Sweden. The selected artists were:
Rymie, a Rockaway-based illustrator and muralist
Timothy Goodman, a designer, author, and illustrator
Donnell “Jigga” McFadden (Respect the Pound), a multidisciplinary artist
Young artists led by Jeremy Nunez, Career Advancement Coordinator for The Door’s Advance & Earn program, w/NYC’s Department of Youth and Community Development, 2022
Yukiko Izumi, a Sunset Park-based graphic and mural designer
Trucks of Art 2019
Trucks of Art launches, capturing the imagination of artists and New Yorkers alike. Nearly 100 artists submitted design concepts for this first-time art project.
LadyKFever, a Bronx-based interdisciplinary street artist
Dister, an artist, teacher, dancer, director and choreographer
Misha Tyutynik, a Ukrainian-born painter, muralist, street artist, illustrator and virtual reality artist collaborated with Victor A. Saint-Hilaire, a lead artist muralist with Groundswell
Alex Anastas, a teacher at Energy Tech High School, led a group of students on their design; they had spent the semester studying public art, 2019
Jillian White, an artist and DSNY civilian employee serving the Staten Island repair shop
THANKS TO OUR PARTNERS
We’re proud to hold the Trucks of Art Festival with the support of our generous partners. Thanks for their leadership and commitment to sustainability, creativity, and New York City.
Join us and become a partner here.
