“The Big Apple” sculpture recently installed on the Upper West Side. Photos by Abigael Sidi
By Gus Saltonstall
A new piece of public art has landed on the Upper West Side.
In the last week, “The Big Apple” sculpture was installed at the northwest corner of West 97th Street and Columbus Avenue.
The arrival of the work in our neighborhood, which is part of the Department of Transportation’s Art Program, was spearheaded by the Columbus-Amsterdam Business Improvement District.
“The BID was instrumental in securing this project and we are very excited that it will be on display within our BID for the next six months and will force visitors to stop and reflect on the sights & sounds of everyday life,” Daniel Bernstein, the executive director of the Columbus-Amsterdam BID, told West Side Rag in an email.
He added that there will be a public unveiling ceremony at some point in the next few weeks, but the details are not yet finalized.
The sculpture was created by the LeMonde Studio, and for the two years prior, it had been presented by the Hudson Yards Hell’s Kitchen Alliance and the Lincoln Square BID elsewhere in Manhattan.
“For some, it is the land of opportunity and productivity. For others, it is all about creativity and inclusivity,” the studio wrote in a description of its sculpture. “For all, New York City is the Big Apple. Our design team wanted to create a unique structure that allows New Yorkers and its millions of visitors to stop and reflect.”
“The Big Apple” sculpture on the Upper West Side.
The sculpture is located in front of a Whole Foods on a bustling Upper West Side block.
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