9. There’s a Hidden Sculpture among the Marsh Grasses in Liberty State Park
Along Freedom Way, the road that cuts across the park, and just behind the Interpretive Center to the right, lies a miniature version of the ruins of an ancient city. Comprised of tiny cement bricks, the piece was constructed by Charles Simonds in 1982. It’s called “Left Turns” and originally included two other sculptures that have since been reclaimed by nature and tidal forces.
Simonds placed these ruin sculptures against the backdrop of Manhattan as a statement on the relationship between nature and civilization, and to make viewers feel like they’re stumbling across the ruins in the middle of nowhere, a feeling of the discovery of a lost world. The project was sponsored by the State Art in Public Places program in conjunction with the National Endowment for the Arts. “Left Turns” is just one of Simond’s outdoor installations, intended to invoke the presence of tiny migrating people who have a civilization remote from our own. Yet, this series of his works is often placed within the context of major cities.
To find it, follow the path behind the Interpretive Center to the right. It is down one of the very overgrown trails through tall grasses facing the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. We have found it once, but got lost looking for it again and couldn’t come across it so good luck in your search!