Friday, October 21, 2022 – LOOK OUT THE WINDOW ON YOUR TRIP UP THE HUDSON
FROM THE ARCHIVES
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2022
THE 813th EDITION
LOOK OUT THE
WINDOW
ON YOUR
METRO-NORTH
TRIP UP THE HUDSON
TRANSIT ART AND DESIGN
“Sirshasana” (1998) by Donald Lipski at Grand Central Terminal. Photo: Rob Wilson
About the artist
In “Sirshasana,” a sculptural chandelier in the shape of a golden-rooted olive tree suspended above the street-level entrance to the Grand Central Market, Donald Lipski drew upon Hindu and Greek lore. “To the ancient Greeks the olive tree symbolized freedom and purity,” he explains. “And the name Sirshasana refers to a yoga headstand posture — the inverted tree….” With branches that span 25 feet and 5,000 brilliant crystal pendants, the tree dominates the area, bringing the feel of an outdoor market. The space was designed so that morning sun bathes the tree and floods the market with light. The form has writhing, enticing, and unexpected elements, with the base of the tree finished in gold and crystals dangling in place of olives, in addition to alluding to the decorative chandeliers in Grand Central, the tree is a comment on the allure of the exotic and tempting wares sold in the marketplace.
“Hudson River Explorers” (2012) by Holly Sears at Tarrytown. Photo: Michael Hnatov
About the project
Inspired by this great river’s majesty and informed by the region’s rich history of discovery, exploration, and travel, Holly Sears’s “Hudson River Explorers” features 11 laminated glass panels fabricated by Tom Patti Design.
With allusions to the romanticism of the Hudson River School of painting, Sears’s exquisitely rendered views of six above-water and five underwater riverscapes are populated by groups of creatures. The scenes are fantastic, magically real, yet firmly grounded in naturalism. From east to west, the panels in each overpass create the experience of one day, from dawn to dusk, with light, color, and subject. The masterfully painted plants and animals in this watery, dreamy realm include an unexpected combination of native and exotic species: a bobcat and house cat, polar bears and black bears, white-tailed deer, ducks, shad, seahorse and sturgeon, hawks and owls, herons and swallows, elephants, and horses. Sears places a particular emphasis on those animals that are threatened or endangered, enjoining us to consider and protect the natural world that surrounds us.
The trip down the length of the corridor is one of discovery, and an analogy to the explorers’ experience depicted in the scenes. The viewer will witness the passage of time through the transition of light and color in the sky and river, and the astonishing variety of plants and animals that inhabit each scene offers intrigue and imaginative contemplation.
“Untitled with Sky” (2010) by Liliana Porter and Ana Tiscornia at MNR Scarborough Station. Photo: Rob Wilson
About the Project
“Untitled with Sky” explores the boundaries between illusion – six faceted glass windows and twelve sculptural seats clad in mosaic that depict a beautiful sky as it changes from morning to evening – and “truth,” – the actual sky as it appears on either side of the art glass. Created in swirling, curved shapes in a variety of blues, purples, and rose, the work brings color and brightness to the platform where commuters wait for their morning train. The sculptural seats echo the contours and color of the windows and provide an amenity for Metro-North customer
“North, South and Home” (2009) by Joseph Cavalieri at MNR Philipse Manor Station. Photo: Veronica Sharon
About the Project
Joseph Cavalieri’s “North, South and Home” creates a colorful glow in the overpass of Metro-North Railroad’s Philipse Manor Station on the Hudson Line.
The artwork, with a decorative border reminiscent of Dutch tile design (with an abstract train running over the symbolic hills of Westchester along the bottom) features tree branches and stylized geraniums reaching across six faceted-glass panels to represent travel and a connected community. At the base of the tree trunk is an outlined shape of nearby Philipsburg Manor, built in 1693 by Frederick Philipse.
Running through the branches is a haiku that reads: “A gentle Hudson – Whistle begins my journey – North and south and home.”
Cavalieri creatively combined blue branches with a gradient orange-yellow background to create colorful contrasts that project a beautiful glow that will be visible from a distance and at night.
“Floating Auriculas” (2007) by Nancy Blum at NYCT MNR Dobbs Ferry Station. Photo: MTA Arts & Design
| About the ProjectInspired by an heirloom plant that it is difficult to cultivate, “Floating Auriculas” by artist Nancy Blum provides a bold splash of color along the retaining wall at the Dobbs Ferry Station, enhancing the station¡¦s natural beauty with a palette of colors derived from the red brick of the old station building. The work uses the repeating quality of the flowers to provide viewers with an energetic imprint they can hold in their imagination as they travel. Fabricated by Miotto Mosaics in glass and marble tiles, the mural consists of seven flower heads, each about eight feet in diameter. |
“A Field of Wild Flowers” (1997) by Roberto Juarez at Grand Central Terminal. Photo: Rob Wilson
About the project
Roberto Juarez creates a place of refreshment and repose with his lush garden landscape, designed to appear as though it were seen through the windows of a slow-moving train. The work, located at the waiting area in the Station Master’s Office, is one of the more fragile pieces in the system, executed in a multi-media collage that he describes as “consisting of layers of gesso, under-painting, urethane, and varnish. I also utilize natural materials — rice paper and a dusting of peat moss — to give my work added texture, strength, and beauty.”
“A Field of Wild Flowers” was created to be compatible with the architecture of Grand Central Terminal, and it repeats some of its historic interior details such as the representation of fruit, acorns, and garlands. It also provides a contemporary work of art that stands on its own, bringing a touch of serenity to the surrounding whirl of activity.
Friday Photo of the Day
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PHOTO COURTESY OF MUSEUM OF THE ITY OF NEW YORK ( C )
THURSDAY PHOTO OF THE DAY
LIGHTHOUSE PARK FLOODED AFTER HURRICANE SANDY
10 YEARS AGO NEXT WEEK
NINA LUBLIN, HARA REISER, ED LITCHER, AND GLORIA HERMAN
ALL GOT IT RIGHT
Text by Judith Berdy
Thanks to Bobbie Slonevsky for her dedication to Blackwell’s Almanac and the RIHS
Thanks to Deborah Dorff for maintaining our website
Edited by Melanie Colter and Deborah Dorff
All image are copyrighted (c) Roosevelt Island Historical Society unless otherwise indicated
TRANSIT ART AND DESIGN
METRO NORTH RAILROAD
MTA
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