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Four artists and curator of the Civic Action: A Vision for Long Island City exhibit at the Noguchi Museum, Amy Smith-Stewart (L), discuss the future development of Long Island City. Natalie Jeremijenko (2nd L), George Trakas (C), Mary Miss (2nd R), Neil Logan (R) speak about their plans. (Tara MacIsaac/The Epoch Times)
NEW YORK—Imagine the striking red and white smoke stacks rising from the Trans Canada power plant in Long Island City (LIC), Queens, transformed into something that could help monitor the city’s move to green energy.
Noguchi Museum in LIC tasked four teams of artists with designing the booming area’s future look. They envision illuminated words and a gauge along the stacks showing how close, or far, the city is from its energy efficiency goals.
Nearly 30 years ago, artist Isamu Noguchi helped transform a blighted section of LIC’s waterfront into the Socrates Sculpture Park. As big box stores and luxury condos move in, the Noguchi Museum hopes artists will still play a role in shaping the culture and the environment.
Landscape artist George Trakas pictures a waterfront boardwalk so close to the water “you can actually sit with water lapping at your feet.” New-media artist Natalie Jeremijenko suggests a zip line from the closest subway station a mile away into Socrates Park, providing a scenic trip flying through the sky attached to cables and with the help of fabric wings.
A view of the old Con Edison power plant smoke stacks, now owned by Trans Canada, at sunset along the Long Island City waterfront. Artists have developed a plan to repurpose the smoke stacks, which has attracted some interest from officials and engineers. (Tara MacIsaac/The Epoch Times)
“Zip lines are the future,” declared Jeremijenko, “They are fast, efficient, emission-free, and incredibly safe.”
Artist Mary Miss wants to trace out the natural features of the land, starting with a clearly marked trail along the Sunswick Creek, which winds from the East River through housing developments. Neil Logan, part of the team led by artist Rirkrit Tiravanija, envisions a community kitchen at Socrates Park for groups to use and share meals at. It could serve in place of cafes that are lacking in the area, says Logan, although he admits the plan might be no more than a pipe dream.
As the artists discussed their ideas at a gathering in the Noguchi Museum on Sunday, an audience member expressed skepticism. While she supports artist involvement in city planning, she thinks it is not likely to have any effect.
Con Edison power plant, "Big Alice," in Long Island City seen from the East River. Artists have developed a plan to repurpose the smoke stacks, which has attracted some interest from officials and engineers. (Tara MacIsaac/The Epoch Times)
“They’ll do the waterfront their way. They’ll do the coffee shops their way. They’ll put up some sort of transportation from the subway to Socrates,” said the local resident.
Miss agreed that city planners are wary of artist involvement.
“We cut off our ears, we do weird things; we act out. Are we trustworthy citizens?” asked Miss, making reference to Vincent Van Gogh’s self mutilation.
She is hopeful, however, that projects such as the one they are working on through the museum will show city planners what kind of ideas artists can come up with and prove they can be trusted. Trakas pointed out that the artists showcased their plan for the Trans Canada smoke stacks to a room full of influential government officials and engineers who responded
positively.The artists’ plans are on display at the Noguchi Museum through to April 22 in an exhibit titled Civic Action: A Vision for Long Island City.
