IN FOCUS NJUJORK NEW YORK U FOKUSU
U Njujorku je sve moguće, pa i da stara, napuštena železnička pruga postane najpopularnija staza za šetanje i omiljeni izložbeni prostor za umetnike širom sveta N jujork, 1934. godina. Pod- ne je i prilično živo u Mit- peking distriktu. U da- ljini se čuje huk voza. Najavljuje da će za nekoliko trenu- taka proći teretnjak vukući zamr- znuto meso i drugu robu. Bila je ovo važna industrijska ve- za, ali i crna tačka, jer je pruga malte- ne po sredini sekla Desetu aveniju. Zato su je Njujorčani zvali i „aveni- ja smrti”. Da bi zaustavili crnu stati- stiku, ljudi na vlasti sagradili su že- leznicu izdignutu devet metara od zemlje – Hajlajn. Najviše je korišćena za prevoz mesa i poljoprivrednih proizvoda. Međutim, 50-ih godina prošlog ve- ka železnički transport počeo je da slabi jer je drumovima krstarilo sve više kamiona. Hajlajnom je poslednji voz pro- šao 1980. Posle toga pruga je propa- dala, bila je zapuštena i prekrivena korovom. Ali nekakvim čudom po- stajala je popularno andergraund me- sto na kome su se okupljali lokalci. Devetnaest godina kasnije, s osni- vanjem udruženja Prijatelji Hajlaj- na, nazirao se početak njenog no- vog života. I eto, danas se od Gensvurt uli- ce do Zapadne trideset četvrte, iz- među Desete i Jedanaeste avenije, prostire najpopularnija staza za še- tanje, mesto za predah i kutak kao stvoren za moderne umetnike. Haj-
In New York anything’s possible, even for an old, abandoned railway to become the most popular walking trail and a favourite exhibition space for artists from around the world
Tekst / Words: Katarina Sretenović Fotografije / Photography: Uroš Maksimović, iStock
N ew York, 1934. It’s noon and quite lively in the Meatpacking district. In the distance the roar of a train can be heard. It is an- nounced that a freight train hauling fro- zen meat and other goods will pass in a few moments. This was an important industrial link, but also a black spot, because the tracks almost cut Tenth Avenue down the mid- dle. That’s why the New Yorkers called it the Avenue of Death. In order to bring a halt to the negative statistics, those in gov- ernment built a railway elevated nine me- tres off the ground – High Line. It was mostly used for the transport of meat and other agricultural products. However, rail transport began to decline in the 1950s, with ever more trucks cruis- ing the roads. The last train passed along the High Line in 1980. After that the railway deterio- rated and was left abandoned, overgrown with weeds. But by some kind of miracle it became a popular underground place for locals to gather. Nineteen years later, with the establishment of the Friends of the High Line organisation, this old rail line was given a new lease of life. And so, today, from Gansevoort Street to West 34 th , between Tenth and Eleventh avenues, sprawls the most popular walk- ing trails, a place for respite and a corner seemingly made for contemporary art- ists. The High Line is 2.33 kilometres long and is the most popular spot in Manhat- tan’s West Side.
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