Tag Archives: red cube

Eye On Design: CANstruction Returns to Brookfield Place

pikachu canstruction photo by gail worley
Peeking At You! All Photos By Gail

In a previous life, I spent ten or so years in the world of architecture and interior design, which is where I first became acquainted with the Canstruction competition. Canstruction involves  teams of design industry professionals who conceive and build amazingly creative structures made entirely from cans of food. Sponsored by an eponymous international hunger relief charity, Canstruction sources donations of millions of pounds of food for local food banks through annual events across the country.  At the end of each competition, all the food is donated to a local food bank, such as NYC’s City Harvest.  In 2020, the event was canceled due to Covid, but his year, the completed structures were back on public display from November 4th to 15th at the Brookfield Place mall in Battery Park City. I’m happy to report I was able to check them out in person. Let’s take a look at the inspired competition from the 2021 Canstruction NYC!

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Modern Art Monday Presents: Isamu Noguchi’s Red Cube Sculpture

Red Cube
All Photos By Gail

The Financial District in Lower Manhattan is a playground for monumental public art installations, including Isamu Noguchi’s Red Cube, which was installed on the plaza at 140 Broadway Between Cedar and Liberty Streets in 1968.

Red Cube 2

The diagonal lines of red painted steel stand in contrast to the stark horizontal and vertical lines of the adjacent front of the HSBC Building (formerly the Marine Midland Bank) by architect Gordon Bunshaft. Despite its title, the sculpture is not actually a cube, but instead seems as though it has been stretched along its vertical axis.

Red Cube 3

Aside from it’s striking color, Red Cube also stands out from the surrounding architecture in that all of its lines are diagonals, whereas the buildings are made up of horizontal and vertical lines. Additionally, the sculpture is balanced somewhat precariously on one corner, while the buildings, by contrast, and solidly placed.
Red Cube 4

Through the center of the cube there is a cylindrical hole, revealing an inner surface of gray with evenly-spaced lines moving from one opening of the hole to the other. Looking through this hole, the viewer’s gaze is directed skyward, towards the building behind, tying the sculpture and the architecture together.

Red Cube Hole

Red Cube is Located at 140 Broadway (at Liberty Street) New York, N.Y.10005. By Subway, Take the 4 or 5  to Wall Street Station.

Photos Below Added January 6, 2020

noguchi red cube photo by gail worley noguchi red cube photo by gail worley