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People often talk about New York City’s skyline at night—where office lights and lit-up bridges glow like stars in the night sky. But the Garment District is taking lighting to the next level, in their new public art installation "New Start, New Hope." The installation, created by local artist Xin Song, features 135 ornate lanterns that dot the city streets along three Broadway plazas.
The lanterns, strung in the air, light up in green, red and blue hues. Each one is designed with intricate patterns, some of which resemble flowers, diamonds or shamrocks. Find them on the Broadway plazas between 36th and 39th Streets where they're free to visit through January 2025.
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Artist Xin Song worked in the Garment District during the pandemic, and she drew on that experience when creating the project with hopes that her lantern displays serve as a visual sign for an optimistic future. As a contrast to the hustle and bustle of the neighborhood, this lantern installation seeks to provide pedestrians with a moment of stillness and light, literally.
"We are delighted to showcase Xin Song’s radiant lanterns in our neighborhood," Barbara A. Blair, president of the Garment District Alliance said in a press release. "Xin’s captivating creations not only brighten our plazas, but also demonstrate the power of public art in bringing our community spaces to life. We encourage all to visit and find a moment of calm in their day-to-day routines by visiting this installation."
Xin Song currently lives in Brooklyn but works from her artist studio at the Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts in the Garment District. She previously attended the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing, where she studied Chinese folk arts and Chinese traditional paper-cutting techniques. Her artwork has appeared in major landmarks across the world, including the Venice Biennial, the Musée du Louvre in Paris, and the National Art Museum of China.
"New Start, New Hope" is a part of the Garment District Art on the Plazas, a year-round public art program facilitated by the NYC Department of Transportation Art. While you're in the Garment District, also visit "Shaved Portions," a 35-foot sculpture made of deconstructed rubber tires.