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"Working in the Same Direction" is a nine-foot high, stainless
steel cutout sculpture. Coron conceived of this work as a book because
the two panels recall the pages of an open book that tells many stories.
In this work, the silhouettes of firemen and emergency workers support
the community. The skyline of the community, in turn, supports two weathervanes:
a fireman and an emergency medical worker. The design of the sculpture
emphasizes the interdependence of the community and its dedicated rescue
workers.
This commission from the New York City Fire Department, the Department
of Design and Construction, and the Percent for Art Program of the New
York Department of Cultural affairs marks the first merger in the city
of Fire Station and Emergency worker station. The new building is located
in Rossville, Staten Island at the intersection of Rossville Avenue and
Veterans Road; the sculpture adorns the front yard of the station. The
sculpture is also visible from the Expressway, making it one of the first
public art works that drivers encounter when entering New York City from
the south.
The angle of the sculpture accentuates the directions that lead the rescue
workers into the community. As one approaches the iconic silhouettes,
details capture the essence of particular moments while still allowing
room for the viewer's personal interpretation. The cutout technique (negative
and positive space) of the design allows for a changing play of light
and shadow in nearly abstract patterns.
These two groups, the firemen and the emergency medical workers, join
in a common goal. The title, "Working in the Same Direction,"
is symbolized by two weathervanes -- a fireman and an emergency medical
worker -- that will move with the wind, watching in all directions. The
open book celebrates the merger in a joyful way, while also acknowledging
the dedication and sacrifice of New York City rescue workers.
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May 19, 2003: installation day
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