2. There’s a Public Art Piece Tucked Away
An elevated walkway wraps around the southern side of the new island, leading the visitor down to an oval lawn that features the artwork Luminescence by Nobuho Nagasawa, an internationally recognized sculptor who currently serves as Professor of the MFA Graduate Program Director Sculpture at Stony Brook University. The seven domed sculptures represent the seven phases of the moon and are made of Portland concrete. Each dome has a different coverage of a phosphorescent aggregate material that absorbs sunlight and illuminates the surface at night with a soft blue color, representing a specific moon phase. The artist used NASA topographic survey maps collected by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), so look closely as you’ll see craters and mountains on the surface of each dome.
Walking south, you won’t see Luminescence unless you take the elevated wraparound walkway, but you can see it looking north from the elevated lookout point. Another great way to see the art piece is actually from the water. If you’re on the upper level of NYC Ferry, you’ll catch it. Luminescence won a 2017 Excellence in Design award from the NYC Public Design Commission.
