The park was still closed to the public, it opens at 7 am so I and my fellow volunteer photographers had free rein of the place for over an hour.
At 18th Street near where the park curves at 10th Avenue is a billboard which is often used by the park to showcase works of different artists. For the month of September, the artwork on display was Waking by Gilbert & George.
For the High Line, Gilbert & George will present Waking (1984), an image populated by the young that represent the primal life forces at their most formative and explosive stages. Originally 36 feet long, the image shows the artists occupying the center of a symmetrical and intensely colored multi-figure composition. Around them is an assembled cast of youngsters. The artists – their faces transformed into masks by overlaid color – evoke a kind of inner awakening, perhaps the passage from boyhood to manhood, which the hierarchy of the three figures seems to suggest.The billboard looked more colorful that morning framed by the early morning twilight and an empty parking lot, a rare sight in the city during the normal waking hours of the day.
The 10th Avenue Square is a great place to watch the morning light change. The figure on my pic below is one of my fellow volunteer photographers, trying to capture an empty 10th Avenue.
The Northern Spur Preserve looked awesome as the early morning light started to illuminate the area.
It was nearly sunrise time when I passed by the Sundeck area, the reclining seats looked so inviting.
But I hurried back to the 10th Avenue Square and took this pic. At sunrise time, the city was glowing and some cars and cabs were already on the road.
Looking south past the overpass, I could see Lady Liberty bathed in the morning sunrise.
Walking further south at the park, the construction of the Whitney Museum of Art was going full swing in time for its 2015 opening.
Designed by architect Renzo Piano, the new building will include more than 50,000 square feet of indoor galleries and 13,000 square feet of outdoor exhibition space on a series of rooftops facing the High Line. An expansive gallery for temporary exhibitions will be approximately 18,000 square feet in area, making it the largest column-free museum gallery in New York City. Additional exhibition space includes a lobby gallery (accessible free of charge), two floors for the permanent collection, and a contemporary artists’ project space on the top floor.
I then walked back north so I could cover the length of the park. The surrounding buildings may have blocked the view of the sunrise but its light was reflected everywhere, even on the Water Feature of the park.
And the High Line was looking gorgeous that September morning. It would only be just a matter of an hour or two before this stretch of the elevated park will be filled with people enjoying the day.
Pretty soon the joggers and early park goers arrived. Some make good use of the park benches for their exercises.
The trees in the Chelsea thicket had their branches forming an arch to pass through. It looked like an entrance to a magic place.
After getting past the tree arch, I saw El Anatsui's Broken Bridge II. The art work is on view only until November 4.
Made of recycled pressed tin and mirrors woven together, Broken Bridge II creates a stunning visual of wave-like patterns and folds, evoking traditional practices of tapestry weaving, while reflecting the surrounding landscape of the High Line.
El Anatsui
Broken Bridge II
Walking further along past the Street Lawn and Seating Steps is this part of the park where the morning sun is reflected on the buildings with the grasses swaying in the wind.
The new buildings under construction can be seen from the Falcone Flyover. These buildings are part of the development at the Hudson Railyards.
Although not part of the High Line curated program, there are a lot of murals and art work around the park. One of the newer ones is Lady Luck by Jordan Betten.
This was my view looking at the park from the Wildflower Field, it was really a gorgeous morning.
I then walked back south to look for the Friends of the High Line staff so I could take my leave. By that time I have walked along the park for three hours, and the sun was already a little bit high up.
Before I left I stopped and sat on the bench near the 10th Avenue Square. This was my view, shielded by the trees and beautiful plant foliage. Guess this would be a great place to take a nap.
I have taken lots of pictures that day, of the park as well as its flowers. I like this pic most of all. It looked like this little flower was stretching its petals to welcome the beautiful day.
Thank you to Friends of the High Line for giving us the opportunity to document the day from the morning twilight up to midmorning. The early wake-up call was worth it, I would gladly do it again .. but hopefully, not in winter time.
For the rest of my pics, here's the album on Flickr - Early Morning at the High Line
For a map of the High Line, here's the link.
For
the High Line, Gilbert & George will present Waking (1984), an
image populated by the young that represent the primal life forces at
their most formative and explosive stages. Originally 36 feet long, the
image shows the artists occupying the center of a symmetrical and
intensely colored multi-figure composition. Around them is an assembled
cast of youngsters. The artists – their faces transformed into masks by
overlaid color – evoke a kind of inner awakening, perhaps the passage
from boyhood to manhood, which the hierarchy of the three figures seems
to suggest. - See more at:
http://art.thehighline.org/project/gilbertandgeorge/#sthash.BlzU8uS1.dpuf
For
the High Line, Gilbert & George will present Waking (1984), an
image populated by the young that represent the primal life forces at
their most formative and explosive stages. Originally 36 feet long, the
image shows the artists occupying the center of a symmetrical and
intensely colored multi-figure composition. Around them is an assembled
cast of youngsters. The artists – their faces transformed into masks by
overlaid color – evoke a kind of inner awakening, perhaps the passage
from boyhood to manhood, which the hierarchy of the three figures seems
to suggest. - See more at:
http://art.thehighline.org/project/gilbertandgeorge/#sthash.BlzU8uS1.dpuf
For
the High Line, Gilbert & George will present Waking (1984), an
image populated by the young that represent the primal life forces at
their most formative and explosive stages. Originally 36 feet long, the
image shows the artists occupying the center of a symmetrical and
intensely colored multi-figure composition. Around them is an assembled
cast of youngsters. The artists – their faces transformed into masks by
overlaid color – evoke a kind of inner awakening, perhaps the passage
from boyhood to manhood, which the hierarchy of the three figures seems
to suggest. - See more at:
http://art.thehighline.org/project/gilbertandgeorge/#sthash.BlzU8uS1.dpuf
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