Catch “Broken Bridge 2” on the High Line by Artist El Anatsui Before It Comes Down September 30

Broken Bridge II is a sculpture by artist El Anatsui, who lives and works in Nigeria. For the past 10 months, the installation has been exhibited at the High Line and will be coming down on September 30th. This 37′ by 157′ tapestry was originally part of Paris’ 2012 Triennale exhibition and had to be reconfigured to fit the landscape of the High Line, for visitors of the park and viewers along West 21st Street to admire.

Mirrors are a big part of what makes Broken Bridge II eye-catching. They reflect the sky and the surrounding cityscape. Austin Kennedy for High Line Art.

What makes Broken Bridge most stunning visually is its varied texture. It is made of wave-like patterns and folds, combining pressed tin and other metal cultivated from places where El Anatsui grew up. The other main component of the piece are the mirrors that reflect the park’s surrounding buildings. The artist says, “I come from a place where I have a lot of sky. Here you have to really look up to realize that there is eventually sky somewhere. That’s the experience for many people who come from a foreign country and come to New York.” He looked at a lot of walls in the city before finally settling on the High Line, for the fact that the wall faces east, allowing the mirrors to engage the New York City skyline and nearby cityscape in a special way. “The Empire State Building can be seen in the work, which makes me very satisfied.”

Read more about El Anatsui’s monumental works at the Brooklyn Museum.