Signs of Life

2000 Metropolitan Avenue/Lorimer Street (G, L) New York City Transit

Constructed of glass and ceramic tile, Jackie Chang's “Signs of Life” offers text and images arranged as a puzzle throughout the station mezzanine. A rock sits atop a pointed shape between two words, "FAITH" and "FATE." Other words – "MAN," "KIND," "IT," "SELF" – are in the path of a cresting wave below. The artist seeks to spark the viewers' imaginations, perhaps hoping that interpretations will emerge over repeated viewings and rumination. The tone of the messages are enigmatic: are they optimistic or pessimistic; are they speaking of the past or to the future? "I kept my titles brief," Chang says. "I wanted them to be challenging." In a sense, these bits of what Chang calls "urban poetry" are an acknowledgment of the creative energy flowing through the community.

9 Photos
Explore "Signs of Life" (2000)
View Gallery