Stephen Korns Installation of Floating Lights in Hudson River

For Stephen Korns’ Installation of Floating Lights in Hudson River, 78 battery-powered, blinking, amber-colored warning lights, like the type used in street repair, have been mounted on Styrofoam squares and anchored individually to the bottom of the river with concrete blocks. Korns (b. Amherst, MA) arranged the lights asymmetrically in two configurations toward the sides of the site in order to best interact with the masses of the bordering piers and with the specific background light sources. The random timing of the blinking among the lights provides changes from within the light fields, as does the freedom of each float to turn its disc-shaped light source toward or away from the viewer.

Located in an easily accessible public area with particularly uncluttered surroundings—a popular spot to view the sunset—the ring of lights pays homage to the expanse and reach of the river that passes along the island where we live.