The second visit that my group and I took to Coney Island was on a Saturday afternoon, contrasting to our first visit on a Sunday morning, which made Coney Island seem like a ghost town. On Saturday, people of all demographics were having fun with family and friends. Many were jogging or just taking a stroll along the boardwalk, enjoying a hot dog from Nathan’s or gazing in awe at the many attractions Coney has to offer. During the second visit, my group and I decided to take a more detailed look at the art that gives Coney it’s old-carnival yet modernly artist vibe. We discovered more of the Coney Art Walls; murals in which people express their artistic perspective on either the attractions of Coney Island or anything relating to the themes and diversity of Coney Island’s visitors. Unfortunately, the rides close in the end of October, so we did not have close access to them, however we managed to take several pictures of the major rides such as the landmarks The Cyclone and The Wonder Wheel from a far perspective to see how these grand rides impacted the overall landscape of Coney Island. While walking through the streets of Coney, we realized that there was so much to look at at all times and therefore we decided that our video should be in the format of someone’s eyes, as if the camera is the eyes of someone that is walking around Coney and taking in all the eccentric landscape has to offer. I chose this picture because to me it represents the overall essence of Coney Island. Pleasing signs such as “Don’t Postpone Joy” on pastel-colored walls represents how art is used in Coney Island to bring happiness and joy to visitors in order to brighten up their visit. This uplifting sign next to a mannequin, named Miss Coney Island, shows the quirkiness of Coney and how it is a place for people of all ages, races, and genders to have fun and enjoy the scenery around them.

This time I went on the tram I paid more attention to the people this time than the surroundings. I compared the people to the people I’ve seen on the subway. The people on the tram seem to be much calmer and aren’t as tense or stressed as you would normally see on the subway. One similarity, however, is the diversity on the tram. Since it is not only a mode of transportation but also a tourist attraction, there were many people from all corners of the world, all in this little box, and it really spoke to what New York is about: diversity. We even interviewed one of the tourists and she said, “you really learn to take new york all at once” which I completely agree, not only by its aesthetics but by its people. Much of New York is clearly made up of its people and the tram successfully captures that with different races, different languages, different fashions, different genders, different ages, different identities, and the irony is that although there are so many differences no one feels awkward or as if they don’t belong because that’s what New York is made up of, differences! After I took the tram, I then took the F train from Roosevelt Island and noticed a completely different atmosphere. On the train I saw more worry lines, more people focused on something else, a book, their phone, their iPad, in essence, distracted from being present in one form or another, and it was much quieter. The tram, however, people were looking outside, looking at each other, there was chattering, even strangers talked to one another, and people seemed to just be much more social because with the view, with the people, with the slow ride, they had things to talk about, whereas in a train we’re trapped in this black tiny tunnel only thinking when the next station will come and keeping to ourselves.

For our second visit to the African Burial Ground, the focus of the visit shifted from just looking at the site and leaving time for introspection to the inclusion of elements we might have glossed over. We noticed a poem in the front of the monument that is meant commemorate the history of those who were buried here and we spent a good deal of time going over it, as well as recording shots of us reciting the poem. I think it’s an astounding part of history that we stand on ground where African-Americans were brutalized and buried to be forgotten for centuries, as an incredibly diverse group that is able to pay our respects in this manner. Another significant part of the site that we decided to focus on builds off the wall of religious and cultural symbols on the wall of the site. This wall is centered around a map of the world, with a walkway in the shape of an arrow pointing in the general direction of Africa, which represents the remembrance of the origins of those who were buried here, especially slaves that had just been forcibly moved to North America. This feature helps bolster a deep respect of the monument for not just those who are buried here and the experiences that they went through, but also the fact that for many of them, they or their ancestors were removed, against their will, from their native lands. This attempt at recognizing the brutal role of colonialism as part of this monument can be broken down to this one arrow, pointing towards home for many who were buried here. This drives home important themes that my group wants to focus on. We want to do a “draw-my-life”, illustrating much of the history that has been emphasized in this monument but we also want to convey a notion of not just the past but the future that the African-American experience and community has created in terms of cultural and social works and development.

View of part of the Queensboro Bridge and East River from the Tram

Upon our second visit to the tram, we took in more of the environment and how the commuters interacted with the aesthetics of the space as well as paid attention to the differences between the tram and other forms of transportation found in New York. When you arrive, there are the sounds of construction from the renovations being made to the platform but, once you’re on the tram itself, all of that seems to fade away. Because of the construction, the tram only runs every 15 minutes, but that didn’t seem to bother everyone patiently for it to arrive. Most of the other commuters were tourists which may have been due to the time of day we took it.  When we got on the tram, we took photos and videos of the view (just like the rest of the commuters/tourists), the people inside of the tram, the Queensboro Bridge, and the tram leaving Roosevelt Island to use for our movie. We noticed some major differences between the two islands: as you exit and/or enter Manhattan and pass over 1st avenue, it is practically a parking lot but when you arrive to Roosevelt Island, there are hardly any cars (all I saw was one FedEx truck). We also noticed some differences in the environment on the islands – rather than having pavement virtually everywhere on Roosevelt Island, you’re greeted with a large patch of grass when you exit the tramway station. We also visited the Roosevelt Island subway station to compare it to the tramway as a form of transportation. In the subway station, although it is pretty clean, you have to go very far underground to get to it, making you feel cut off from the beauty of Roosevelt Island.

For our second visit to the site, our group chose to go during a time when the space would be the most active, which was on a Saturday at one o’clock. Unluckily, that day the temperature decided to drop which negatively impacted the number of people who came to visit the park. Because of this, the majority of rides and stores remained closed, although the parks advertised that they would be open on their websites. Despite the low turnout, we saw more people this time around than the first time we visited, when the entire area looked deserted. We were still able to capture people on film, so our video will portray the interactions that visitors have with the space. For example, we were able to get footage of people zipping about in bumper cars, which successfully shows the liveliness of the location and offers a glimpse of what it looks like in a busier time, like the summer. This is important to the theme of our project, which partly deals with the impact of times and seasons on the atmosphere of a space. We were also able to get footage inside the arcade, and the flashing lights of the games and the blaring music further emphasized the energetic qualities of the location, however this vibrancy stood in contrast with the emptiness of the arcade itself. In summer, the place would be jam-packed with people, talking animatedly and competing for prizes. But on this chilly Saturday, the arcade was barren of people. There was a strange contrast between the activity of the bright screens and flashing lights and the emptiness of the space.

My photograph also captures this concept, in that the featured rollercoaster (The Thunderbolt) is shut down; silent and empty of the people that give it its purpose. This photo is also significant in that it depicts the dichotomy between the rollercoaster and the adjacent patch of grass. This theme of man and nature clashing with one another is one that is apparent in Coney Island; for example, the beach clashes with the boardwalk and amusement parks. This natural environment has become industrialized and commercialized, and this is another concept which we may explore in our final video.

Our group decided to focus on the Plaza Hotel and the unique image of grandeur it emanates. Located near Fifth Avenue, in central Manhattan, its exterior blends in well with the rest of the neighborhood. The area exudes an air of money and elitism. However, unlike the tall, glass skyscrapers that are clearly commercialized, the Plaza has an old-timey aura. It has a chateauesque style that makes me think of the French court. One of the videos we took showed the environment outside the building, which bustled with tourism. There was a stark contrast between the Plaza and the building next to it, which was a typical New York skyscraper. We also took videos that focus on the molding around the edges of the room and the curlicues that decorate the entrances. We plan on emphasizing the Plaza’s ornate architecture and how the building clearly caters to the elite.

The image I took was of the Plaza’s Ballroom Lobby. I had originally planned on taking a photo of the actual Ballroom but there were people inside preparing for an event occurring that night. The last time we went to the Plaza was during the evening when an event was well underway. This time, we went in the early afternoon and there was a clear contrast between this visit and the last one. It was interesting to see the difference between the daytime Plaza, which is much more subdued, and nighttime Plaza, which is exotic and elegant. Both versions, however, are clearly grand. In the picture I took, there is elaborate gold molding in the corners of the room. The chandelier is extravagant and the lighting is dim, reminding me of soft candlelight. However, if you zoom into the image, you can see chairs strewn around beyond the doors. There were men moving furniture around and the faint sound of someone practicing on the piano.