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Robert Ripps book
History of Tribeca Buildings
When Richard Serra Dominated Tribeca
This will not be news to those of you who have lived in the area for decades, but it’s encouraging for everyone who has ever hoped that the Port Authority might (once again) allow the circular area surrounded by the Holland Tunnel off-ramp to be put to some cool use. From April 24, 1980, to January 30, 1987, the circle was home to a massive Richard Serra sculpture: “Arc, which reveals a fresh departure in the artist’s work to date, consists of 12’ x 40’ steel plates, which form a 200’ arc,” said the Public Art Fund. (Serra lives on Duane, which if I don’t mention someone else will.) I’ve included all of the Public Art Fund’s photos, even ones that are redundant or don’t show the work at all, for the glimpses they offer of the surrounding area.
What’s more, from April 24, 1980, to July 30, 1981, another Serra sculpture, T.W.U., was at Finn Square.
And of course there was Tilted Arc, the story of which will leave to another day. (Thanks to Matthew for the heads-up about this!)
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Tilted, not Titled
Thanks, typo fixed.
Great pictures of “olde” Tribeca- only quibble is shots 1, 2, 3, 12 are flopped (backwards).
Ugh, that’s how they were on the Public Art Fund site. Will try to fix but it may not happen for a while
They likely scanned old transparencies (slides) backwards… Easy to fix in Photoshop- or send them to me and I will do it for you :).
Done. They weren’t as heavy as they looked.
Old timer, here. Oh how I miss those pieces.
Greetings old timer, I left a comment below, here on the page with some more information- if you happen to remember anything about my dad Michael, I’d be very interested to hear. My dad was primarily a photographer, but also a physicist, engineer… kind soul, drank a bit too much maybe. I never learned about his life in Tribeca- looking to learn now the hard way. Thanks, Michael.
https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/nytimes/obituary.aspx?n=michael-gruters&pid=176074851
Where are these pieces now?
I don’t know, but if you happen to get to San Francisco, he’s got some spectacular pieces in SFMoMa.
Thanks for sharing these. We need more Serra (and the old PAF projects in general) back in our lives!
Hi James, what were the PAF projects? Did you by any chance know my dad or his honor system shop Things for Sale? I’m searching for information about him down in Tribeca in the 70s. Thanks.
Nice article, my dad was friends with Serra in the 70s and 80s although I’m not sure when exactly. I share his name, and to be honest am looking for information on his activities and work, as well as information on a shop he had called “Things for Sale” on white and church street, a stones throw from finn sq. I didn’t have the chance to hear many of those stories but I know he was a big part of the community. If anyone knew him in the 70s and wants to contact me about Michael Gruters please feel be my guest.