Downtown Alliance Unveils Star Sun Burst, A Re:Construction Public-Art Project
The Alliance for Downtown New York today announced the installation of Tatyana Murray’s Star Sun Burst along Hudson Street between Franklin Street and Ericsson Place in TriBeCa.
The 650-foot-long printed vinyl installation of blue sky, suns, stars and rays (the “bursts”) is a joint project of the New York City Department of Design & Construction (DDC) and the Downtown Alliance’s Re:Construction public-art program, which installs temporary artworks at construction sites throughout Lower Manhattan. Re:Construction began in 2007 and has produced 19 pieces, 10 of which are up for viewing. Star Sun Burst was installed last week and covers wire-mesh fencing around a DDC water-main replacement project.
“Now Lower Manhattan’s 300,000 workers, 55,000 residents and six million annual visitors—along with those in TriBeCa—can enjoy the beautiful work of Tatyana Murray as part of our program to recast construction sites as canvases for innovative public art and architecture,” said Elizabeth H. Berger, President of the Downtown Alliance. “Re:Construction is an ongoing opportunity for government, artists, curators, property owners and business people to work together to make something beautiful. It’s a win-win for everyone.”
"The Department of Design and Construction is delighted to collaborate with the Downtown Alliance's Re:Construction Program in Lower Manhattan," said Commissioner David J. Burney, FAIA. "The $60 million Hudson Street Project is a critical construction project to connect the local water distribution system to Water Tunnel No. 3. We are happy that Tatyana Murray's Star Sun Burst will be prominently displayed around the construction site."
The Re:Construction program is produced by the Downtown Alliance and funded by a $1.5 million grant from the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation. Engaging, thoughtful and whimsical, the temporary artworks are creating colorful landmarks and brightened streetscapes as they help mitigate the impact of Downtown’s numerous building projects.
Star Sun Burst is inspired by the Manhattan sky. It plays directly off the surrounding environment, picking up on the changes and nuances of the weather and time of day. The glowing effects of the reflective ropes are reminiscent of natural light strokes. The installation constantly evolves, depending on the placement of the sun and its intensity, giving the piece a life of its own.
“From the moment I got off the plane in 1994, my first time in New York City, I was struck by the brilliant white and blue light of the sky,” said Murray, a London native. “Since this seminal moment, light has played an essential role in my work.”
“Manhattan's skyline serves as the canvas for Tatyana Murray's multi-dimensional installation,” said Ayelet Danielle Aldouby and Elinor Michlan of Artea Projects, curators for the piece. “The viewer is surrounded with fields of blues and a constant interplay of lights, creating a serene and magic environment within the hectic urban life.”
“The Re:Construction program is great example of what the Lower Manhattan community can accomplish when all parties come together, said David Emil, President of the LMDC. “The LMDC is proud to fund this wonderful work by Tatyana Murray and looks forward to our continued partnership with the Downtown Alliance.”
Murray grew up in England and studied NYU and the School of Visual Arts in New York City. Her work has been exhibited since 1997 in solo and group shows in Manhattan, London, Paris and Vienna, including at 120 Gallery, James Graham & Sons, JG Contemporary and the National Arts Club in New York; Blains Fine Art in London; Habres & Partners in Vienna; and A Gallery in Paris.
Images of Star Sun Burst can be viewed at the Downtown Alliance’s Flickr page at http://www.flickr.com/photos/downtownny/sets/72157625128886353/.
Previous projects have been installed at:
• W Hotel New York – Downtown: Hours of the Day*
• Chambers Street: Secret Gardens*
• Fiterman Hall: Restore the View*
• 99 Church Street: Walking Men 99*
• 56 Leonard Street: Rendering Leonard*
• Hudson River Park: Botanizing the Asphalt*
• 50 Trinity Place: Poster Project at 50 Trinity*
• 99 Washington Street: Flying Animals*
• East River Waterfront Esplanade, South Street: Fence Embroidery with Embellishment*
• Titanic Park, Fulton and Pearl streets: Water Movements
• West Thames Park, Battery Park City: It Takes Time to Turn a Space Around
• The Fulton Street Transit Center, John Street at Broadway: Best Pedestrian Route
• Fulton Street reconstruction site, between Broadway and Nassau: Fulton Fence
• Fulton Street Transit Center, Broadway between Ann and John streets: Concrete Jungle
• Goldman Sachs headquarters, 200 West Street: Untitled
• AIG building, 175 Water Street: Green Gate, Summer
• Street reconstruction site at Houston and Broadway: Houston Fence
• Louise Nevelson Plaza, Maiden Lane and William Street: Rainbow Conversation
* currently up for viewing For more information on the Re:Construction program and hi-res images of the projects, click here.