Art Under the Elevated - Art Commissions

Through the Art Under the Elevated Initiative, RISE has commissioned a number of artists to envision, produce, and exhibit temporary public art installations underneath /adjacent to the elevated A-train in Far Rockaway, Queens, NY. 

During the three cycles, (2022, 2020, 2017) the Artist Selection Committee has chosen the following projects for artist commissions through a competitive process funded by NEA artworks:

• Eric Rieger (2022) - Living & Breathing
• Kristy McCarthy (2022) - Rockaway in Flight 
• Anthony Heinz May (2020) - Ten Twenty-Nine Twelve
• Dominika Ksel and Camila A. Morales (2020)- Sonic Constellation
• Jessica Findley (2017) - Projected Swimmers
• Jonathan Chesley, Alexandria Donati, and Andrea Parker (2017) - Rockaway Field Guide
• Kevin Sudeith (2017)- Rockaway Petroglyph

These commissioned artworks were featured along with community workshops to actively engage people of all ages in reenvisioning the underpass as a safe and inviting multimodal community and civic space to host a variety of events, including these temporary artworks.

The space below the elevated A-line subway tracks is currently a fragmented demapped roadway, which has the potential to serve as an important cross-peninsula connection. With art and creative placemaking as a catalyst, RISE hopes to activate this public space to inspire the community to imagine its potential.

This project builds on RISE's original initiative Project Underway, the RISE and NYC Department of Transportation "Wellness Way" partnership, as well as Design Trust for Public Space's "Under the Elevated" Program.

The RISE Center has served as the community hub for related exhibits and gallery location for public programs and community engagement to build on the selected projects. Kevin Sudeith's petroglyph and Anthony Mays's sculptures can still be seen on the corner of Beach 59th Street and the subway entrance.

 More Info about the Artists and Their Projects Below: