A temporary art installation representing New York City’s namesake has made its way to Downtown Jamaica.
“The Big Apple” art installation is now open to the public, according to the Downtown Jamaica Partnership Business Improvement District (BID), which announced the news on November 18.
LeMonde Studio, a Montreal-based design and production firm, designed and engineered the exhibit. It will be displayed at Parsons Plaza at Parsons Blvd. between Jamaica and Archer Avenues through January 2025.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the installation was held on Friday, Nov 15, and to celebrate, the BID handed out keepsake apples to the first 100 people who stopped by.
“The Big Apple” was designed as the artists’ interpretation of how New York City means many different things to its residents. The large red structure, shaped like half an apple, holds space for people to stop, sit, and reflect. Many of the design choices were intended to invoke openness and a welcoming presence in the bustling environment of Jamaica’s commercial corridor.
This is the first time “The Big Apple” has been displayed in Queens. It was initially commissioned for the Hudson Yards neighborhood and has since been displayed throughout the city, including Lincoln Square and Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.
Whitney Barrat, president of the BID, said that the location of “The Big Apple” is significant as downtown Jamaica is the first neighborhood people encounter when they arrive in NYC via JFK Airport. “We’re thrilled to host The Big Apple on behalf of our community here in Downtown Jamaica and even more excited for newcomers and locals alike to appreciate that the Big Apple energy can be found right here in Queens,” Barrat said in a statement.
DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez shared that public art installations aid in brightening the community and making the city’s streets more vibrant. “I thank the Downtown Jamaica Partnership Business Improvement District and LeMonde Studio for their collaboration making the Big Apple brighter and more welcoming right here in the world’s borough,” he said in a statement.
Sara Kulka, chair of the BID’s board of directors, added that the BID has continuously worked to bring public art to pedestrian plazas in Downtown Jamaica. In February, the BID launched a temporary interactive street art installation in downtown Jamaica dubbed the “Light Lane. ” Also designed by LeMonde Studio, it featured colorful lights and music that emits from the three stationary bikes that make up the installments.
