On Aug. 30, The Alliance for Downtown New York announced the installation of Rita MacDonald’s Drift, part of the popular Re:Construction program launched in 2007 that is committed to sprucing up construction sites with public art.
Drift, at 24 John Street, begins as flat images that stretch, arc and contort in space so as to evoke illusions of movement and volume that push up against the wall’s surface. The stripe pattern on the scaffolding derives inspiration from a swatch of awning fabric, and turns the stripe on its side to create a gesture of movement and motion that is meant to emulate the movement of city streets and sidewalks.
“I am interested in the connections and associations to place and time that simple patterns can hold,” said Drift artist Rita MacDonald.
Elizabeth Berger, president of the Downtown Alliance, spoke to the program’s objective, saying, “Re: Construction is an ongoing opportunity for government, artists, curators, property owners and business people to work together to make something beautiful.”
The project is funded by a $1.5 million grant from the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation. About half of Re:Construction’s 25 earlier temporary installations are still on view in the area.
