My goal for this re-design was to emphasize the history of the arts in Bronxville, to show how important and beautiful this part of Bronxville was, before it was overshadowed by systemic prejudice and discrimination. To do this, I wanted to teach people about the artists in Bronxville, explaining that there are good-natured people from Bronxville’s history, people who actively worked to make the world a better place.
For my presentation, I described how art history and architecture history can be brought into the present to inspire people. I made a video tour of my site (Station Plaza) to briefly show, and then I had my proposed design. What I suggested was that various plaques with info about Bronxville’s artists and architects be placed, with encouragements to support the arts, citing the numerous artists from Bronxville who had sponsored and led art schools and non-profits.
To summarize my design, I designed a sculpture. From one angle, it looks like the artfully-designed Station Plaza, but from another angle, it looks like a lemniscate, the ‘infinity symbol,’ emphasizing the endlessness and recursiveness of art.
Bronxville was born as an artists’ colony, and I believe it’s time to bring that history to the present again.
A lemniscate (better known as the infinity symbol) represents endlessness and eternity, and in some interpretations, balance and peace. Although art might sometimes fall to the wayside and be forgotten, it’s never truly gone. Art should follow this ‘infinite’ behavior, always returning and remaining in the hearts and souls of people, which is what I seek to do in Bronxville.
To be completely honest, I don’t think I’m a super big fan of architecture, even after this class. Even though it’s still not something that’s super interesting to me, I’ve definitely learned to appreciate it more. This class taught me to think critically about how architecture and building can be just as powerful and evocative as traditional art can be. And even though I’m not going to be an architect, I truly appreciate how architecture can make a profound impact, and can make a huge difference in the world. Thank you, Professor Tate.
