Union Square in Motion

Images by Julia Furian, WNYC from here.
Parsons professor Joshua Spodek and his students have been working on a lenticular zoetrope to be installed in the Union Square station as part of the MTA’s Arts in Transit program. “Union Square in Motion” went up this week, and I can’t wait to see it! Benjamin Kabak wrote a great post about the zoetrope on 2nd Ave Sagas (including the below behind the scenes video), and here’s a link to Joshua Spodek’s site, where he discusses the installation with terrific photo documentation. Jeanne Kelly offers the most comprehensive documentation of designing and testing the piece. She writes about experiments with different animations, prototyping, and even a spreadsheet with materials and costs broken down. There are several fascinating videos, mock ups and photos on the post, including a device that Kelly constructed and calls a “concentric zoetrope,” which is a zoetrope with the picture strip taped into a cylinder placed in the center of the drum (kind of like a modified praxinoscope). Here’s Abby Fentress Swanson’s write up about “Union Square in Motion” on the WNYC Culture site, which includes photos that nicely highlight the ways that subway riders might interact with the piece.

What a great way to add a little levity to people’s daily commutes and put a spring into the steps of passers by.