Today, my pathway led me to Brighton Beach. I only had a few stops to go to before I finished the B train line. It was a beautiful summer day just right for going to the beach. I was definitely excited about this trip. The first stop was Church Avenue and I really thought this stop was quite different then most because it was indoor and outdoor and I loved how the trees would hang above the tracks. Almost makes it feel as if the subway is trekking through the forest. I guess I got a bit excited over these type of stops because in Manhattan you don't have a lot of trees to look at other than Central Park of course. During this stop, a police officer was patrolling the area and came over and asked if I was taking photos for a project. I thought...well here we go I am going to get reprimanded for taking photos in the subway even though I know I am aloud to because I read the rules and regulations of the subway a number of times. But that wasn't the case at all. His duty for the day was patrolling that part of the B line and ended up being my police escort for the remainder of the stops. It was a bit annoying at first because I usually only do this project with Linz and I hate making small talk when I am trying to work. On the plus side I was by myself in unknown territory riding the subway so it was nice to have a cop watching out for me.
The next stop was Newkirk which was a decent station. The inside was renovated and the artwork was a beautiful stain glass window called Transit Skylight, by artist David Wilson, which is made of zinc polycarbonate and installed in 1988 when the station was renovated.
Kings Highway was where I got off next and that stop had some artwork is styled after ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics but with a modern twist: the depictions include the Brooklyn Bridge, a subway car, turnstiles, baby strollers, airplanes, and various buildings. It was interesting to see Egyptian artwork in the subway. Most of what I have been seeing was stained glass, paintings and mosaic type art. This was a nice change from the norm.
The next stop was Sheepshead Bay the next to last stop on the B Line and with some artwork as well. This artwork is a series of mosaics called Postcards From Sheepshead Bay, by DeBorah Goletz installed in 1987. I will let the pictures speak for themselves.
Last but not least my final destination Brighton Beach. The station was outdoor, no artwork that I could see but my main photos were about the ocean and the beach. It was a hot, sunny day but the breeze off the water made everything delightful. I sunbathed for about an hour because that is about all I could stand. The sun was just beaming down on me and with my fair skin it could mean a lot of trouble. Brighton Beach is mainly of Russian population so I felt like I was in another country and it was a really great feeling. A big reason why I love New York City.
This concludes my trip on the B line and at this point I will be taking a bit of a break due to vacation. I will return to this in late August and hopefully be a bit more consistent then I have been in the past.
