Oculus is a constellation of stone and glass mosaics in the underground labyrinth of interconnected subway stations of lower Manhattan. Over three hundred mosaic eyes, drawn from a photographic study of more than twelve hundred young New Yorkers, are set into the white tile walls of the World Trade Center/Park Place/Chamber Street Stations. The work’s centerpiece is a large exquisitely detailed, elliptical glass and stone mosaic floor (38 ft 8 in x 20’8”) at the heart of the Park Place Station. The continents of the earth, interwoven with the City of New York amidst an ultramarine pool, surround a large eye in the middle of the mosaic. The mosaic is at once a vision of the world, a reflecting pool of water and a representation New York City in its proper geographical orientation. The work’s detailed renderings of the eye – the most telling, fragile and vulnerable human feature – offer a profound sense of intimacy within a public place. Together, the images create a sense of unity and flow: animating, orienting and humanizing the station. Oculus invites a dialogue between the site and those who move through it. The former World Trade Center Station is situated at the northeast corner of the site. The station was flooded and closed to the public following the September 11, 2001 attack. The site was damaged but not destroyed, and it reopened eight months later with the work mostly intact. Oculus was recognized as “an unexpected monument” by the Wall Street Journal on September 11, 2003.—Wikipeidia At first glance, the eyes appear quite alike.  But … each is casting a unique glance, some kindly, some questioning, others petulant.  What are they doing here?  What do they see? —Oculus,Jones/Ginzel (1998) I pass through the Chambers Street subway station ever day going back and forth from work.  It’s my Church.  The mosaic eyes of the Oculus art installation watch as I descend the stairwell and enter sacred space.  I remove my sunglasses and take off my ear buds so I can see the symbols and hear the mysterious drone that hangs in the air.  There’s an energy down there.  I feel certain that it’s a place of healing—I see people hobbling on crutches or walking in circles, talking loudly to themselves and I want to tell them to stop and breathe.  Let the other commuters come and go in the flash flood currents of their bizzy subway streams.  Let time go on up above in its relentless push forward…down there it is forever NOW.  There’s no where to be and nothing to do.  There’s no rushing from an imaginary here to an equally imaginary there.  The station is the destination.  We have arrived at the Eternity transit loop. The eyes will bear witness as together we turn to dust.

Oculus is a constellation of stone and glass mosaics in the underground labyrinth of interconnected subway stations of lower Manhattan. Over three hundred mosaic eyes, drawn from a photographic study of more than twelve hundred young New Yorkers, are set into the white tile walls of the World Trade Center/Park Place/Chamber Street Stations. The work’s centerpiece is a large exquisitely detailed, elliptical glass and stone mosaic floor (38 ft 8 in x 20’8”) at the heart of the Park Place Station. The continents of the earth, interwoven with the City of New York amidst an ultramarine pool, surround a large eye in the middle of the mosaic. The mosaic is at once a vision of the world, a reflecting pool of water and a representation New York City in its proper geographical orientation.

The work’s detailed renderings of the eye – the most telling, fragile and vulnerable human feature – offer a profound sense of intimacy within a public place. Together, the images create a sense of unity and flow: animating, orienting and humanizing the station. Oculus invites a dialogue between the site and those who move through it.

The former World Trade Center Station is situated at the northeast corner of the site. The station was flooded and closed to the public following the September 11, 2001 attack. The site was damaged but not destroyed, and it reopened eight months later with the work mostly intact. Oculus was recognized as “an unexpected monument” by the Wall Street Journal on September 11, 2003.—Wikipeidia


At first glance, the eyes appear quite alike.  But … each is casting a unique glance, some kindly, some questioning, others petulant.  What are they doing here?  What do they see?

—Oculus,Jones/Ginzel (1998)

I pass through the Chambers Street subway station ever day going back and forth from work.  It’s my Church.  The mosaic eyes of the Oculus art installation watch as I descend the stairwell and enter sacred space.  I remove my sunglasses and take off my ear buds so I can see the symbols and hear the mysterious drone that hangs in the air.  There’s an energy down there.  I feel certain that it’s a place of healing—I see people hobbling on crutches or walking in circles, talking loudly to themselves and I want to tell them to stop and breathe.  Let the other commuters come and go in the flash flood currents of their bizzy subway streams.  Let time go on up above in its relentless push forward…down there it is forever NOW.  There’s no where to be and nothing to do.  There’s no rushing from an imaginary here to an equally imaginary there.  The station is the destination. 

We have arrived at the Eternity transit loop.

The eyes will bear witness as together we turn to dust.