Artwork Picked For Cuomo Bridge's Shared Use Path

NYACK, NY — The winners of the Mario Cuomo Bridge's public arts program have been announced. They were commissioned in a competition run by the Arts Council of Rockland and ArtsWestchester in partnership with the New York State Thruway Authority.

"This is exciting news and I look forward to viewing these works of art," said South Nyack Mayor Bonnie Christian in a note to residents. Six of the 10 pieces chosen will be installed along the shared use path in South Nyack.

The 10 commissions were awarded to eight artists. They include five sculptures, four bicycle racks and one mural. Three of the sculptures incorporate remnant steel salvaged from the decommissioned Tappan Zee Bridge. Locations include each end of the path at Rockland and Westchester Landings, as well as along the side path in South Nyack.

The commissions, all of which are in various stages of development, are slated for installation this spring.

“Incorporating public art on the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge path adds another critical layer of interest for this effort,” Thruway Authority Executive Director Matthew J. Driscoll said. “Art along the path will attract new visitors and encourage others to return, benefitting our local economies. Additionally, honoring the legacy of the decommissioned Tappan Zee Bridge by including its steel in their work truly brings this project full circle."

The New NY Bridge Community Benefits Program is funding the initiative.

"The stellar New York artists who have been commissioned to create the signature sculptures, bike racks and a colorful mural will help enliven the scenic Hudson River landscape, enhancing the already extraordinary destination with world-class art for area residents and visitors to enjoy," said Arts Council of Rockland Executive Director Cheryl Baun.

Here are the 10:

• THE FLUX OF BEING (Chris Soria, Nyack). Mural. Combining layers of abstract geometry with silhouettes of subjects from the natural environment, this mural celebrates the rich biodiversity of the Hudson River Valley.
• APPROACH (Fitzhugh Karol, Brooklyn). Sculpture. This sculpture incorporates steel from both the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge and its predecessor, the Tappan Zee. The piece evokes a sense of uplift, progress and momentum, visually anchoring the beginning of the bridge path in Rockland County.
• CURRENT (Cheryl Wing-Zi Wong, Brooklyn). Sculpture. Composed of 12 illuminated steel arches, CURRENT celebrates transformation. Referencing currents – of rivers, of light, of time – this dynamic sculpture is under continual activation. By day, its shadows and colored light refractions are ever-changing. In the evening, it creates a shared spatial experience through light animations that respond to movements of passers-by.
• LEAPING STURGEON (Wendy Klemperer, Brooklyn). Sculpture. A 14-foot Atlantic Sturgeon — made from rebar and other salvaged steel — leaps out of the Hudson River. This sculpture celebrates the ancient and majestic fish that is part of the region’s history and lore as well as the state’s on-going population recovery efforts of this endangered species.
• TAPPAN ZEE (Ilan Averbuch, Long Island City). Sculpture. Seven abstracted figures carry a canoe alongside pedestrians and bicyclists, in a metaphorical shared journey. This sculpture pays homage to the Native American Lenape and their history along the Hudson River, while also symbolizing the value of collaboration in crossing rivers, building communities, and reaching new horizons.
• UNTITLED, FOR IMRE LENDVAI (Thomas Lendvai, Ronkonkoma). Sculpture. Slightly askew, concentric octagonal forms mimic ripples on the river’s surface and frame the iconic towers of the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge. Made from steel reclaimed from the Tappan Zee Bridge, this sculpture is a tribute to the artist’s father.
• STEEL BIKE RACK (David Greenberg, Brooklyn). Bike Rack. The design of this bike rack is informed by marine mooring bollards and alludes to the historic importance of the Hudson River as a commercial transportation artery. The oval openings accommodate the “mooring” of a bicycle, offering cyclists a rest on their cross-river journey. The design will be used in two locations on the path, one in Rockland and one in Westchester.
• STONE BIKE RACK (David Greenberg, Brooklyn). Bike Rack. Monolithic granite posts recall the stone quarrying industry of Rockland County and evoke the common hitching post.
• CONVERGING VISTAS (Christopher Flick, Bronx). Bike Rack. The dynamic form of this bike rack references the Palisades and the New York City skyline, two views that converge while crossing the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge.

See the renderings here.