Gisela Insuaste, Crossings & Pathways, 2022, painted aluminum, PS 254 Addition, Brooklyn
Crossings & Pathways is a site-specific artwork created by Gisela Insuaste for the lobby in the new addition at P.S. 254, Brooklyn. Suspended from the ceiling, the sculpture is made up of twenty-seven painted aluminum pieces. The larger crescent-like shapes conjure imagery of waves, moons and water currents, while the smaller, overlapping oval-like shapes recall rocks and stepping stones that connect one point to another. Insuaste was inspired by the nearby historic Ocean Avenue pedestrian bridge that has provided passage over Sheepshead Bay since the early 20th century. The bright blue wooden bridge hovers over the Bay and connects Emmons Avenue and Manhattan Beach. The dark blue in Insuaste’s artwork is reminiscent of the bridge itself, while the lighter blues and purples are meant to evoke the water and sky as they shift in color throughout the day. The small green shapes reference the algae one notices when moving closer to the water.
As students, teachers and staff walk under and view Crossings & Pathways, they are invited to reflect on their journeys in and around the school, as well as on the connections between the school, the community and the surrounding landscape.