I
love living in New York. There are certain pleasures that I appreciate every
day no matter what sort of mood I am in. One of these is biking through the
city, anywhere at any time of day. Another is the drama and majesty of those
canyons. Looking north and south on the avenues and east and west on the cross-streets
always makes me happy. These infinite lines of our grid bind us together and
extend us out. They bring in fresh air and framed sunsets.
Of
course these are man made canyons, and their space is left-over from the buildings
we make to live, play and work in. They were given to all of us by the brilliant
people that planned the city. In this dense island these lines and spaces shifted
at 7 degrees off the cardinal points give everyone direct access to light and
fresh air every day of the year. This one infinite, connected, circuit of truly
public space makes me feel like I own the place. I understand it, I occupy it,
I am a part of something that everybody else is a part of.
I
get on my bike just as the sun is rising on Sundays.I leave my East Village
apartment, riding east on 14th, north on Park, over to Madison, up to 57th,
down on Fifth. Every week a different route. As I go I take pictures recording
the rising of the sun. The sides of the canyons are still black, not buildings
yet.