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2nd Street Sunwork
2003–04
Steel, aluminum, stone, and sunlight
30 × 30 × 12 ft (9.1 × 9.1 × 3.7 m)
Commissioned by NJ TRANSIT, with funding provided by the Federal Transit Administration and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.
2nd Street Sunwork (2003–04) was commissioned for the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail station in Hoboken, New Jersey. Unlike Van Alstine's earlier solar calendars, which employed monumental granite blocks, this work incorporates salvaged maritime artifacts—including a large ocean buoy and other industrial steel elements—that reflect Hoboken's rich waterfront and shipbuilding heritage. Functioning as both a traditional sundial and a solar calendar, the sculpture tells the hours of the day while, at solar noon, its shadow records the changing seasons.
By combining found industrial objects with the ancient concept of a solar calendar, 2nd Street Sunwork bridges the city's maritime history with the timeless rhythms of the natural world. The commission demonstrates Van Alstine's ability to adapt his artistic vocabulary to the unique character of a place, creating a work that is both deeply rooted in local history and universal in its celebration of time, light, and landscape.
2nd Street Sunwork
2003–04
Steel, aluminum, stone, and sunlight
30 × 30 × 12 ft (9.1 × 9.1 × 3.7 m)
Commissioned by NJ TRANSIT, with funding provided by the Federal Transit Administration and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.
2nd Street Sunwork (2003–04) was commissioned for the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail station in Hoboken, New Jersey. Unlike Van Alstine's earlier solar calendars, which employed monumental granite blocks, this work incorporates salvaged maritime artifacts—including a large ocean buoy and other industrial steel elements—that reflect Hoboken's rich waterfront and shipbuilding heritage. Functioning as both a traditional sundial and a solar calendar, the sculpture tells the hours of the day while, at solar noon, its shadow records the changing seasons.
By combining found industrial objects with the ancient concept of a solar calendar, 2nd Street Sunwork bridges the city's maritime history with the timeless rhythms of the natural world. The commission demonstrates Van Alstine's ability to adapt his artistic vocabulary to the unique character of a place, creating a work that is both deeply rooted in local history and universal in its celebration of time, light, and landscape.
