PUBLIC ART | The Gov. Mario C. Cuomo Bridge Art Path

New Public Art Turns Bridge into Cultural Destination

ArtsWestchester partnered with the New York State Thruway Authority and the Arts Council of Rockland on a landmark project to bring 10 major works of public art to the shared use path of the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge. Eight New York State artists received commissions through a competitive application process that yielded more than 100 applicants. The completed sculptures, bike racks, and mural are spectacular expressions of community, place, and creativity. The artwork is monumental, free, public and available to all New York residents and visitors.

The bridge’s 3.6-mile state-of-the-art, twin-span crossing connecting Rockland and Westchester counties opened June 15 and it is bookended with monumental sculptures by Brooklyn artist Cheryl Wing-Zi Wong and Long Island City artist Ilan Averbuch. This is new permanent public art installation is a magnet for art-lovers if all ages.

“This unique art walk represents a remarkable collaboration between state government and cultural groups that helped select the artists through a grassroots competitive process that has given some of the featured artists their first major commissions. We are thrilled to have been voted” “Best Public Art Display” by Westchester Magazine in 2021. ” – Janet Langsam, CEO, ArtsWestchester

1 | Tappan Zee

Between the Esposito Trail and the parallel bike path in South Nyack Ilan Averbuch (Long Island City, NY)

Tappan Zee consists of seven abstracted figures carrying a canoe in a metaphorical shared journey. This sculpture pays homage to the Native American Lenape and their history along the Hudson River, while also symbolizing the value of collaboration in crossing rivers, building communities, and reaching new horizons.

2 | Bike Rack

Rockland Landing

David Greenberg (Brooklyn, NY)

The design of this bike rack is informed by marine mooring bollards and alludes to the historic importance of the Hudson River as a commercial transportation artery. The oval openings accommodate the “mooring” of a bicycle, offering cyclists a rest on their cross-river journey. The design will be used in two locations on the path, one in Rockland and one in Westchester.

3 | Approach

Rockland Landing

Fitzhugh Karol (Brooklyn, NY)

This sculpture incorporates steel from both the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge and its predecessor, the Tappan Zee. The piece evokes a sense of uplift, progress and momentum, visually anchoring the beginning of the bridge path in Rockland County.

4 | The Flux of Being

South Broadway Underpass

Chris Soria (Nyack, NY)

Combining layers of abstract geometry with silhouettes of subjects from the natural environment, this mural celebrates the rich biodiversity of the Hudson River Valley

5 | Bike Rack

Rockland Outlook

David Greenberg (Brooklyn, NY)

On a second bike rack by Greenberg, monolithic granite posts recall the stone quarrying industry of Rockland County and evoke the common hitching post.

6 | Leaping Sturgeon

Rockland Outlook

Wendy Klemperer (Brooklyn, NY)

The 14-foot Leaping Sturgeon is made from rebar and other salvaged steel and celebrates the ancient and majestic fish that is part of the region’s history as well as the state’s on-going population recovery efforts of this endangered species.

7 | Untitled, For Imre Lendvai

Westchester Approach

Thomas Lendvai (Ronkonkoma, NY)

Slightly askew, concentric octagonal forms mimic ripples on the river’s surface and frame the iconic towers of the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge. Made from steel reclaimed from the Tappan Zee Bridge, this sculpture is a tribute to the artist’s father.

8 | Bike Rack

Westchester Landing

David Greenberg (Brooklyn, NY)

9 | Converging Vistas

Westchester Approach

Christopher Flick (Bronx, NY)

The dynamic form of this bike rack references the Palisades and the New York City skyline, two views that converge while crossing the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge.

10 | Current

Westchester Landing

Cheryl Wing-Zi Wong (Brooklyn, NY)

Composed of 12 illuminated steel arches, Current celebrates transformation. Referencing currents – of rivers, of light, of time – this dynamic sculpture is under continual activation. By day, its shadows and colored light refractions are ever-changing. In the evening, it creates a shared spatial experience through light animations that respond to movements of passers-by.