CONNECTING THE PIECES
New York by itself is a puzzle. This city made of islands and a portion of mainland -at the Bronx- is connected by diverse means of transportation that joins its pieces. These include the subway system, vehicular streets and tunnels -in which buses, taxis and cars transit-, ferry systems and even an aerial tramway. The latter being the one I most wanted to meet.
My idea about going to Roosevelt Island was to take the aerial tramway and have the opportunity to see a different side of Manhattan. I wanted to see all of New York’s pieces from a different perspective. In short, I wanted to experience the city in every possible way. And that was the feeling I had when I was inside the tram car.
Roosevelt Island during summer
Even though there were too many people in such a small space, I had an amazing view of the city. In the 360 degrees of that little tram car, New York unfolded in all its splendour. As an architect, I love aerial photos of cities and even better when I discover opportunities like this to see the city as a full-scale model.
As soon as we crossed the river, to my surprise, Roosevelt Island greeted us with a calm atmosphere contrasted to the noisy Manhattan I had just left some minutes ago. Here, I spent my time walking around the island without a route traced. From the afternoon until the sunset, I just admired Manhattan’s waterfront. After a while, when the night was approaching, I arrived at the north tip of the island. There, in the further corner was the Lighthouse.
INCOMPLETE BEINGS
As I entered the Lighthouse Park in Roosevelt Island, I saw in the distance giant shining faces. In the middle of the night these shimmering pieces stood out as stars in a clear night sky. That place was “The Girl Puzzle Monument Honoring Nellie Bly”. When I was approaching the sculptures, I felt mesmerised by the scale of the faces and all the reflections around me. Among these giant faces I could see parts of myself on the shining surfaces. I was part of the exhibition.
Lighthouse and “The Girl Puzzle Monument Honoring Nellie Bly” – Roosevelt Island
I walked for a while seeing myself and other people reflected on the surface of urban sculptures. At some point, I felt very vain for admiring my multiple reflections. At that moment, I remembered when I was a little girl and I was told not to look at myself too much in the mirror. It wasn’t right to be a vain girl.
After some years, I learnt that seeing my reflection in the mirror was not always vanity. Looking at myself in the mirror became an exercise to remember me how far I had come, how much I had changed. Seeing myself through my own eyes and having positive thoughts about myself has helped me embrace all the parts of my being, including the imperfect ones.
“The Girl Puzzle Monument Honoring Nellie Bly” – Roosevelt Island
When I was seeing these urban sculptures, I realised these were an invitation to see all the pieces of ourselves and embrace them one by one. As you walk inside the park, all of the reflective spheres show you a part of yourself and these images change as you move through the sculptures. This place transforms with each person. In the end, as you explore it, your reflections become part of the puzzle.
REFLEXES ON OTHERS
The “Girl Puzzle Monument” is composed of five faces. One of them, casted in silver bronze, honours Nellie Bly. Bly was an American journalist who championed other women’s causes and injustices. The other four faces represent a young child, an african American woman, an older woman and member of the LGBTQ community and an asian woman. These last sculptures are casted in bronze and show us people who have historically been invisible.
Nellie Bly’s sculpture – Roosevelt Island
I believe this place makes us remember that each one of us has a unique voice and each one of these voices deserves to be listened to. In this way, Nellie Bly gave a voice to many people who had no chance to be heard and that was the root of her incredible impact and legacy. In the end, these urban sculptures resemble the way we are connected with the people who surround us, even though we are not always conscious about it.
African American woman sculpture – “The Girl Puzzle Monument Honoring Nellie Bly”
We see part of ourselves in others, and also cast part of our essence in others. So as the materials of these sculptures show to us, we are always in a fluid exchange of reflections. Some of these are physical, which in general, in the case of women, society has reduced to beauty. But we also perceive immaterial reflections such as wisdom and affection, acts that are reflected in our actions. In the end, all these reflections are part of our own puzzle.
CONNECTED STORIES
I believe that urban places are weaved by uncountless stories and in this case of uncountless reflections. Thus, in each place we inhabit we leave pieces of ourselves. In this exchange, we lose some pieces, but gain others. We destroy and rebuild ourselves. As this exhibition describes, the sculptures are “…rendered in partial sections that appear like giant puzzle pieces, show a depth of emotion and complexity of being broken and repaired.”
“The Girl Puzzle Monument Honoring Nellie Bly” – Roosevelt Island
I find beauty in people who have been broken and who have had the courage to gather their pieces and build themselves stronger. Because it is in our darkest moments when we really see how resilient we are. As in life, I see in the darkest moments of cities an opportunity to embrace its true self. Every night is an occasion to see the essence of a city and simply love it for what it really is.
As in life, I see in the darkest moments of cities an opportunity to embrace its true self. Every night is an occasion to see the essence of a city and simply love it for what it really is.
In the end, as these sculptures show us we don’t need to be perfect to be complete. And that is the beauty about life, we are continually looking for new pieces to add to our puzzle.
Night-time traveller
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