Space Odyssey, 2004

In 2004 an artist by the name of Ellsworth Ausby created eight triptychs (that would later be translated into windows of faceted glass) for the Marcy Ave subway station in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. These windows line panels of the above ground station, and appear on either side of the platform. They follow a general style, as well as share similar colors in nearly all. However, each window is unique and different from the others. The windows are covered in patterns of colorful geometric shapes. They are abstract to the naked eye; however upon closer inspection, resemble the cosmos

Ellsworth Ausby was an abstract artist who lived and worked in Brooklyn. He held a BFA from Pratt Institute, and was a well-respected arts educator, teacher, and lecturer. He taught art at the School of Visual Arts for 25 years. He was also an instructor at the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey and also taught Drawing & Painting from Life. In this work, Space Odyssey, he wanted to explore the relationship between man and the universe, as well as the spirit of the bustling metropolis. He was particularly attracted by "the idea of traveling in infinite space, which is as a passenger on the Earth Express line, experienced through the cycle of the seasons." He hoped that the windows he created would help others to know his understanding of the “hustle and bustle” of New York. This project was his first and only time using stained glass. His most common media was oil and acrylic paint. Ausby’s works have been exhibited at the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Boston Museum of Fine Art, the National Museum of Fine Arts, Lagos Nigeria and The Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art. He passed away on March 6 th, 2011.

The stop is located in Williamsburg Brooklyn. A community mainly consisting of Hasidic Jews, Williamsburg is rich with culture. I wouldn’t say this area fits in with the traditional “hustle and bustle” New York attitude. Rather, it strikes me as more of a quiet, tight-knit community. So quiet in fact, that often I was the only person walking on a sidewalk. The stained glass windows of Marcy Ave were not inspired by this community, but by larger and busier ones. I feel as though Space Odyssey, with all its bright colors, and implications of the busyness of New York doesn’t quite fit in with its surroundings.

Ellsworth Ausby’s original drawings for Space Odyssey

My picture MTA picture