10. The Ocean Parkway station features 128 reliefs honoring nerby Coney Island
The Ocean Parkway station on the western end of the main stretch of Brighton Beach is a historic elevated Q station. The station features an artwork called Coney Island Reliefs by Deborah Masters, which consists of 128 reliefs inspired by Coney Island’s sites and people. The artwork was created in 1996 and was meant to be installed at Ocean Parkway, but station defects pushed back the installation date. Some pieces were displayed at Long Island University in 2001, but the reliefs were kept at a bus depot in the Bronx until 2009 when they were finally put up at the station.
Masters created the reliefs in cast concrete, tinted a terracotta color, and panels fit within the recesses in the viaduct. The reliefs portray scenes from the history and legends of Coney Island, including the mermaid Neptune, the beach, boardwalk, and amusement park. In one of the largest sections of the artwork, the Cyclone zigzags past crowds of people.
Next, check out 27 Secrets of NYC’s Coney Island!