Space Odyssey

2004 Marcy Avenue (J, M, Z) New York City Transit

Ellsworth Ausby created eight triptychs for the station's platform windscreens. Their designs explore the relationship of man to the universe. In a subtle way, the brilliantly colored forms evoke the feeling of the swirling cosmos. For this commission, the Ausby produced a series of drawings which were translated into a faceted glass. For this project, Ausby was particularly attracted by "the idea of traveling in infinite space, which is as a passenger on the Earth Express line, experienced through the cycle of the seasons." He was particularly pleased to work with faceted glass windows, "a new and exciting medium for me to work with... These windows have allowed me to expand my understanding of the possibilities that this concept has as public art... It is my hope that these windows express what I feel is the spirit of New York, the hustle and bustle, the fast pace of the city."