WASHINGTON HEIGHTS — One of the artists behind a push to bring the “Pod” sculpture to Inwood is making waves with a new public art project scheduled to hit the neighborhood this spring.
“Shipwreck,” a sculpture by Montserrat Daubon, was selected by the Department of Transportation’s public art program to be installed in a plaza at 155th Street and Riverside Drive. The 13-foot wood and bronze piece features the prow of a ship with a female figurehead, the carved decoration often found on the front of old ships.
"I've been obsessed with figureheads since I visited Pablo Neruda's home in Isla Negra, Chile," Daubon said.
She described one room of the home, which was designed to look like the inside of a ship and was filled with discarded figureheads.
"It's very whimsical," Daubon said. "For me it really says something about mankind; this idea of having the best of intentions even in the face of overwhelming uncertainty."
This is not the first time Daubon has worked with the agency’s public art program. The Harlem-based artist helped to get “Pod,” a 10-foot sculpture created by fellow artist and husband Pedro Villalta, on display through the DOT. The piece was first exhibited at 124th Street and Lenox Avenue, and is currently installed outside of the RING Garden near the intersection of Broadway and Dyckman Street.
Daubon's sculptures have also been featured at Greenpoint's Sculpture Wall and at the Affinia 50 hotel in Midtown East.
Renderings of the project presented to Community Board 12’s transportation committee show the sculpture placed so that the stern of the ship appears to be emerging from the ground, with the female figure looking skyward. Community Board 12 will vote on the proposal at the end of February.
Daubon plans to install the sculpture on the plaza near the Hudson River in March. She chose the location because of it's proximity to the water.
"I wanted to do a nautical theme, so being near the water was important," Daubon said, also noting the elegance of the intersection.
"It looks like Paris up there."
