Arts for Transit and Urban Design

Beach 25 Street

Mauricio Lopez

Past/Present/Future, 2011

Faceted glass

Through Past/Present/Future, Mauricio Lopez distills his perception of the Rockaway’s landscape with its streets and buildings that are framed by the continuous change of colors and textures of open sky, ocean, and bay.

Past and Present are depicted through a variation of light and seasonal colors and abstract shapes of the landscape. Future is reflected by new developments and the environment, reflected through different levels of transparency in the glass. The various layers present both a timeline and an organic portrayal of the community.

In creating the artwork, Mauricio was inspired by the powerful natural setting of the Rockaways that has provided life for centuries and attracted many to move to the area in the last 150 years. As people from Rockaway may say, “Once you get sand in your shoes, you’ll come back.” Lopez’s artwork honors those who have lived and live in the Rockaway and their tenacity and commitment to their community.