Hudson River Way Pedestrian Bridge Paintings
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 

1. What are the Hudson River Way Still Lifes?
The Hudson River Way is a pedestrian bridge that connects downtown Albany with the Hudson River and its shoreline Corning Preserve park lands. The Hudson River Way Still Lifes are a series of thirty (30) still life paintings that are permanently painted on surfaces of the pedestrian bridge.

2. Where will the paintings be located?
Thirty still life paintings are located on the 9' tall concrete lamppost obelisks that line and light the bridge.

3. What do they look like?
All thirty paintings are executed in classic trompe l'oeil technique that replicates the style and lighting of 17th century Dutch still life works by artists such as Vermeer. The thirty lamppost paintings each depict what appears to be an open niche in the lamppost obelisk, allowing the viewer to "look into" the obelisk niche and view objects painted on the "shelves" and framework of the trompe l'oeil niches.

4. What does "trompe l'oeil" mean?
Trompe l'oeil (pronounced trump loy') is a French term meaning "to trick or fool the eye." Trompe l'oeil paintings and sculptures are works of art that create such a strong illusion of reality that the viewer on first sight is in doubt as to whether the thing depicted is real or a representation.

5. What kind of objects are in the painted cabinets?
Each "niche" painting holds life-sized artifacts and objects that are known to have existed and been used in Albany's 300+ year history. In fact, the historic time frame of the thirty paintings begins before Henry Hudson's ship the Half Moon arrived in 1609 and includes Native American as well as prehistoric artifacts and information. The "newest" niches will show life in Albany in the late 20th century. In all, the painting series spans almost 500 years of our history.

6. What are the paintings made of?
All thirty paintings are executed in KEIM potassium silicate coatings. These aren't really paints but liquid quartz that bonds permanently with the surface on which it is painted. KEIM was invented in Germany in the 1880s and was originally known as Purkristalat, or water glass. KEIM does not fade, peel, chip or blister. It is drawn into the concrete and lasts for more than 100 years. We import the KEIM from Germany today for this use.

7. Who is the artist?
AlbanyMural's principal artist Jan-Marie Spanard designed and painted the Hudson River Way paintings with the assistance of artist Koren Lazarou and other local artists.

8. When will they be completed?
Many of the thirty lamppost paintings were completed by November, 2002. The remaining paintings will be completed in Spring of 2004.

9. Where do I need to go to see these paintings?
The Hudson River Way Still Lifes and Murals are a public art project. They appear on the pedestrian bridge itself and are in full view for all visitors and residents who cross the bridge. The thirty paintings constitute an outdoor museum on the bridge lamppost obelisks.

For those who seek further information about the paintings, the objects within the paintings, the history of Albany's settlement along the Hudson River, or present day Albany's offerings and opportunities, the Albany County Convention and Visitors Bureau and the City of Albany will be hosting related exhibitions and information sites.