Renowned artist Rachel Hayes installed her temporary fiber artwork, All Aflutter, on four of Rosslyn’s historic skywalks the week of April 22. The pieces were commissioned by the Rosslyn Business Improvement District (BID) as part of its temporary public art program launched this spring. The program aims to soften Rosslyn’s hard edges as many of its buildings undergo redevelopment.
“Over the next 10 years, Rosslyn will be going through a transformation, which includes eventually taking down most of Rosslyn’s iconic skywalks,” says Rosslyn BID Executive Director Cecilia Cassidy. “We are celebrating these skywalks with All Aflutter.”
The bridges were originally built in the 1960s to allow pedestrians to navigate Rosslyn above and away from the car and bus traffic. Although many of the skywalks provide outstanding views of Washington, D.C., and the spires of Georgetown University and the National Cathedral, most pedestrian traffic and retail has moved to street level.
All Aflutter will adorn four skywalks on North Moore Street, Nash Street, and North Fort Myer Drive for up to a year. Hayes’ large-scale works have also graced skywalks along Kansas City, Missouri’s Central Avenue during Avenue of the Arts, New York City construction sites and in galleries throughout the United States, including Solvent Space at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia.