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Transportation Department Unveils Urban Art Under the Queensboro Bridge

On Friday, the New York City Department of Transportation unveiled a new temporary outdoor exhibit on a 50-foot corrugated fence under the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge at the junction of Vernon Boulevard and South Queens Plaza in Queens.

The show, called When it opens like this, up is not over, exhibits six large-scale color photographs by New York artist Rena Leinberger.

To make the works, Leinberger first shot photographs of scenes behind the fence along Vernon Boulevard, which is an area normally not open to the public. Then she suspended pieces of cut-up emergency blankets and blue latex gloves over the photographs and re-shot them, giving the works a confetti-like effect.

Leinberger's exhibit is part of the Department of Transportation's Urban Art Program and the International Studio & Curatorial Program, which is a non-profit, residency-based contemporary art institution for emerging to mid-career artists and curators.

When it opens like this, up is not over will be on view through October 31. Check out photos of the exhibition below.

The outdoor exhibit sits under the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, at the junction of Vernon Boulevard and South Queens Plaza.
The outdoor exhibit sits under the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, at the junction of Vernon Boulevard and South Queens Plaza. (Abbie Fentress Swanson)
The show's six photographs line a corrugated fence at the junction in front of a Bridge Preventative Maintenance Storage Facility.
The show's six photographs line a corrugated fence at the junction in front of a Bridge Preventative Maintenance Storage Facility. (Abbie Fentress Swanson)
Here's the first shot (or the last depending on the direction from which you approach the works) in the exhibition.
Here's the first shot (or the last depending on the direction from which you approach the works) in the exhibition. (Abbie Fentress Swanson)
This is the second shot in the series.
This is the second shot in the series. (Abbie Fentress Swanson)
This shot is positioned under the bridge to the left of the entrance to the Bridge Preventative Maintenance Storage Facility.
This shot is positioned under the bridge to the left of the entrance to the Bridge Preventative Maintenance Storage Facility. (Abbie Fentress Swanson)
This shot is positioned under the bridge to the right of the entrance to the facility.
This shot is positioned under the bridge to the right of the entrance to the facility. (Abbie Fentress Swanson)
Here's the fifth shot.
Here's the fifth shot. (Abbie Fentress Swanson)
And the last shot in the series.
And the last shot in the series. (Abbie Fentress Swanson)
A runner passes by the show.
A runner passes by the show. (Abbie Fentress Swanson)
The show, with the Manhattan skyline in the background.
The show, with the Manhattan skyline in the background. (Abbie Fentress Swanson)
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