Re:Construction is a public art program produced by the Downtown Alliance. This initiative channels the energy of Downtown's rebuilding process by recasting construction sites as canvasses for innovative public art and architecture. Each project uses standard construction barriers to embrace the ongoing nature of Downtown’s redevelopment with original and whimsical design. The Downtown Alliance works closely with public and private developers to produce each installation.

Photo Credit: BravinLee programs Click on the photo above to download a high resolution image.

Fence Embroidery with Embellishment – Katherine Daniels This 600-foot installation along a South Street construction fence features ribbon-like stitches of green and white materials woven in geometric patterns into wire mesh to evoke stems and vines. Colorfully painted spools and jar lids, all of which have been reclaimed or recycled, convey the "flowers" of this angular garden, which strategically allows visitors views of the East River as well as the esplanade project of the New York City Economic Development Corporation. The work, to be displayed for one year, is by artist Katherine Daniels and is presented by arts consultant BravinLee programs.

Photo Credit: Maya Barkai/Courtesy ADA Art Consulting & Elinor Milchan LLC Click on the photo above to download a high resolution image.

Walking Men 99 – Maya Barkai Covering the three plywood street facades surrounding the Silverstein Properties construction site at 99 Church Street, this 500-foot-long work highlights ninety-nine versions of the international "walk" symbol found on traffic signals around the world. "The 'walking man' is an international celebrity and one of our most recognizable figures," says artist Maya Barkai. Collected from around the world, the work is presented by ADA Art Consulting and Elinor Milchan. The project will be on exhibit for one year.

Photo Credit: BravinLee programs Click on the photo above to download a high resolution image.

It Takes Time to Turn a Space Around – Amy Wilson Artist Amy Wilson, in her signature style, has created for the West Thames Park construction fence an ensemble cast of child-like characters who inhabit what resembles a storybook world. Little girls in summer dresses work tirelessly in a vast garden, reconstructing the landscape using red toy wagons and oversized garden shears. Seven different panels along the fence depict the varying phases of their labors, suggesting deliberate yet seamless collaboration for the betterment of a beloved shared space. The artwork will be printed on a 150-foot vinyl banner and secured to a portion of the park's construction fencing. The project is presented by BravinLee programs, and installation will take place in mid-January. The park, located in Battery Park City, is undergoing renovation, and is scheduled to reopen in May 2010.

Photo Credit: ADA Art Consulting  Click on the photo above to download a high resolution image.

The O2 Project – Elinor Milchan Created by artist Elinor Milchan and presented by ADA Art Consulting, this work envelopes the site of Fiterman Hall at 30 West Broadway, which was damaged on 9/11, and will become the newest CUNY campus. The work represents a journey into a garden of bubbles of air, which in turn provides a protective shield over life on earth and a fundamental substance for healing, Milchan says. "It was the purest metaphor for creating a sense of hope and recovery in an area charged with emotional memories." Almost 400 feet long, the project is installed on the plywood surrounding the Barclay and Greenwich Street facades later in January.

Photo Credit: ADA Art Consulting & Elinor Milchan LLC  Click on the photo above to download a high resolution image.

Rendering Leonard – Helen Dennis This project at 56 Leonard Street portrays ghostly traces of the street's surrounding environment as artist Helen Dennis seeks to capture the city's energy and relentless flux. Her singular technique resides at the nexus of photography and drawing—large-scale sketches depicting enormous structures are given depth, scale and spirit through careful layering and strategic photographing. The result is a warm, skeletal landscape that is both familiar and intriguingly haunting. The work, presented by curators ADA Art Consulting and Elinor Milchan will be installed later in January along a 250-foot plywood wall on the fences surrounding 56 Leonard Street.

Photo Credit: Nina Bovasso

Botanizing on the Asphalt – Nina Bovasso BravinLee programs' presentation of Botanizing on the Asphalt will cover 400 feet of concrete jersey barriers at Hudson River Park, creating a lush, wild landscape. Nina Bovasso's signature flowers and dense colorful imagery have been printed onto a 3M graphic film that adheres to textured surfaces using heat and pressure. Passersby can view the intense and euphoric explosions of color and form along the West Street Bikeway with the Hudson River serving as a spectacular backdrop.

Photo Credit: Caitlin Hurd

Flying Animals – Caitlin Hurd Displayed courtesy of ADA Art Consulting on the corner of Washington and Rector Streets, Caitlin Hurd's Flying Animals is inspired by suburban and rural landscapes and domesticity to symbolically weigh the promises of happiness and predictability against everyday's complicated realities.  The mural aims to create a contrast between the hectic city and the tranquility of rural life.

Photo Credit: Ellen Berkenblit

Poster Project at 50 Trinity – Ellen Berkenblit In her piece, Poster Project at 50 Trinity, Ellen Berkenblit presents a series of six new ink and graphite drawings which have been enlarged and printed on a vinyl banner to cover the construction barricade at Trinity Place and Rector Street. Blown up to nearly 7 feet high, these images allow one to be immersed in the elegance of Berkenblit's lines and brushstrokes and to glimpse the intricacies of her graphite underdrawings. Featuring the graceful female protagonist who frequently appears in Berkenblit's work along with some of her signature animals, the drawings are sequenced and repeated, like the stills in a black and white silent film from the 1920's.

Photo Credit: Rachel Hayes

Rainbow Conversation – Rachel Hayes Rainbow Conversation, courtesy of BravinLee programs, will transform 34 wire fences that surround the Louise Nevelson Plaza construction site into a sensual and vibrant experience with a colorful installation of sewn stripes of opaque and sheer fabrics. Hayes has built an experimental and multi-hued lanscape with line, light and movement—additional pieces have been sewn to intentionally flutter in the wind, beckoning the viewer to move around the site and to enjoy the view.

2008

2007 - Pilot