Tappan Zee, 2020
TAPPAN ZEE, 2020
Cor-ten weathering steel and granite / 13 x 21 x 3 feet / Located on the Esposito Trail, Mario M. Cuomo Bridge in Nyack, NY
I wish to share with you a new public project for the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge in South Nyack, NY. With galleries and museums currently closed and the art world switching to online programming, public art remains an accessible cultural venue that can be enjoyed while social distancing. If you are in the area, I hope you will find the time to visit the piece in person.
Tappan Zee is a site-specific public sculpture installed along the Raymond G. Esposito Trail, a pedestrian and cyclist path at the landing of the bridge in South Nyack.
A row of seven abstracted steel figures carry a stone canoe alongside pedestrians and bicyclists, in a shared metaphorical journey in procession towards the Hudson River. This sculpture pays homage to the Native American Lenape and their history along the river, while also symbolizing the value of collaboration in crossing rivers, building communities, and reaching new horizons. The title, Tappan Zee, references the original bridge built at this location crossing the Hudson at one of its widest points. The title combines “Tappan,” after the Native American tribe of the region with “zee,” the Dutch colonizers word for sea.
The work was commissioned by the New York State Thruway in partnership with ArtsWestchester and the Arts Council of Rockland.
For more information visit: https://mariomcuomobridge.ny.gov/explore-public-art