Bringing Back the Masstransiscope

If you were riding the B, D, N or Q train in the early 80s, you may recall a "20-second burst of color and shapes in the tunnel before emerging to cross the Manhattan Bridge." That was Bill Brand's public art project, the Masstransiscope — and it's still there, under layers of graffiti and subway filth. Using the principles of a zoetrope (the 19th-century optical toy that makes images inside a revolving cylinder appear to move), Brand painted 228 panels along a 300-foot platform at an abandoned Myrtle Avenue station. Now, he'd like to restore it to its former glory. The MTA's Arts for Transit program isn't willing to spend $35,000-$40,000 on restoration costs — but if Bill Brand can raise the money, the MTA would help coordinate the project.
Underground art in Brooklyn [NY Metro]
Masstransiscope [Bill Brand Optics]
Masstransiscope [Creative Time]

Comments

i always wondered what those vertical slits were for...this would be awesome to see done- or re-done, i suppose

Posted by: MW at March 9, 2007 1:33 PM

I always loved that. I would gladly contribute, especially since I ride the B everyday.

Posted by: clinton hillbilly at March 9, 2007 2:32 PM

I know that this is the Record and not Brownstoner, but I would actually prefer that the MTA restore this to a working subway station. Given all the development that is occuring in this long-overlooked part of Brooklyn, it seems like a worthy request. The request was made when the Downtown Brooklyn Development Plan went through ULURP, but the response was that this station was too close to the Dekalb Avenue station. Someone help me here: is it true that only the trains that skip Dekalb (formerly the B, now the D) go through what used to be the Myrtle Avenue station?

Posted by: Anonymous at March 9, 2007 4:16 PM

Anonymous: That's not possible. The station is too short, too close to DeKalb and on only once side of the tracks.

Also, the only trains that go by that station are the Manhattan-bound B and Q. So whoever told you that was wrong.

Posted by: Benjamin Kabak at March 9, 2007 4:45 PM

I LOVED that thing when I was a kid--it actually closed once after being vandalized and was restored for a while. I say it should be restored again--I'd love for my kids to see it.

Posted by: Anonymous at March 10, 2007 4:02 AM

Benjamin, 4:16 here -- thanks. What the public was told is consistent with what you're saying. But the 'too close to Dekalb' argument doesn't make any sense to me if we are talking about the trains that skip that station. Also, couldn't a platform be lengthened? Finally, did the station always only have an 'inbound' platform? I cannot think of another station like that; what happened to the other side?

All that aside, the Zoetrope piece was very cool and I would welcome its return, after I exhaust my other mission.

Posted by: Anonymous 4:16 at March 10, 2007 1:52 PM

There's a Flash version of Bill's work at
http://www.bboptics.com/masstransiscope.html

Posted by: Korla Pundit at March 14, 2007 12:39 PM

« Residential Sales in Brooklyn Development Watch: 431 Warren Street »

March 9, 2007

Bringing Back the Masstransiscope

Comments

Post a comment

Latest Restaurant Additions