Last night, TheBoken.com visited the reception for the the Fluent art exhibit that is now a permanent part of the the newly renovated Lackawanna Ferry Terminal. The reception had free popcorn and ice tea as well as a chance to meet the two artists Kristin Jones and Andrew Ginzel behind the project. About 50-60 in total attended the gathering whihc ran from 7-9pm.

Fluent is a work integrated with both the context and architecture of the newly renovated, historic Hoboken Ferry Terminal. A constellation of related elements is intended to augment the public’s sense of place, focus viewers’ gaze on both the macro- and microscopic aspects of the living river, and reveal the invisible wind currents that surround them.

Suspended from above in each Ferry Slip, a double-ended taper formed of horizontal rings is defined by eight vertical cables with a ‘pananemone’ at its center. Composed of two half discs perpendicular to one another, the instrument is responsive to all winds. Anchoring the gauges at the water’s surface are incremented plummets, sensitive to the river’s ebb and flow. The gauge measures the 5’ rise and fall, its tip visible twice each day at low tide.

An array of stainless steel discs hang from the high ceiling, transforming the air above into a dramatic field of reflection. A series of stainless steel vanes with plummets weave through the flow of discs. Animated by the fluctuating wind, the suspended vanes respond to the shifting air currents with precise, nuanced movement. Articulating the unseen fluid dynamics of the space, Fluent echoes the tidal fluctuations of the Hudson and the flow of commuters moving through the Terminal.

Fluent was fabricated by KC Fabrications, Inc. with engineering by Tectonic. It was commissioned for the Hoboken/NJTransit Terminal by New Jersey Transit Arts, with assistance from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. Funding was made possible by the Federal Transportation Administration.

Below are some photos of the artwork:

Additionally, TheBoken.com got a tour of the immense second floor of the Lackawanna Terminal. This yet to be renovated space will at some point  become a commercially developed area. The shear scale of this space could lend itself to a banquet hall, a roller rink, a bowling alley, a huge farmer’s market or mall just to name a few suggestions. The space is in need of extensive renovation but the potential is there given the size of the space and geographic location. Share your thoughts in the comments below as to how you envision this space being developed.

Here are some exclusive photos from TheBoken.com of the restricted 2nd floor of the Lackawanna Terminal in Hoboken…