A view of the deconstructed flag from a floor restricted from the public. Credit: Andy Rubenoff Photo The patriotic lights, bowing down to meet the travelers. Credit: Andy Rubenoff Photo America 250th InstallationAndy RubenoffUnion StationNew Haven The observant Union Station visitor seeki ng reprieve from the nausea induced by screen time on their phone will notice there are 13 flowing bannered stripes above their head. The stripes are so massive, with each banner five feet wide, that it’s easy to miscount when sitting right under them. The banners are part of a patriotic display at the station created by New Haven’s Andy Rubenoff in honor of America’s 250th birthday. It went up recently and is scheduled to remain through at least September. The project was undertaken in conjunction with New Haven’s Mascola Group, the city’s parking authority, and the state Department of Transportation. For the full intended experience, I went down and up the escalator that leads to the trains. Red, white, and blue bulbs on slacked lines glow above us. They’re the closest light source in the room, and yet still soft to emit warmth. From the main entrance, they twinkle. Coming up the escalator (or looking back to say a final goodbye to New Haven) triggers the realization that travelers are in the underbelly of a deconstructed version of the Betsy Ross flag. A double-sided dark-blue banner with a circle of 13 white stars stands above the stripes, and below the station’s clock. At first glance facing the concourse, the stripes are visible all at once, in alternating red and white, below the stars. The picture comes together. Rubenoff, who’s 70, said he was honored to be called upon for the project. He recalled his time spent touring with the United Service Organization during his college years, where he developed a deep appreciation for the U.S. armed forces, particularly the people. Later, when he arrived at Yale, he began to frequent Union Station. “I used to do a lot of business in New York when I was a grad student. I did a lot of freelance work, and so I’d be putting on a suit and getting on a train a couple days a week to do jobs to put myself through school,” he reminisced. While the scale of the installation is maximal, Rubenoff also emphasized its simplicity. He recounted a teaching from Yale: “When you’re dealing with scale, you have to be clean. It has to be a strong statement.” Rubenoff’s bold choice to heavily feature the Betsy Ross flag is an important distinction between this year’s public installation versus the usual Fourth of July celebration. It encourages a reflection of the inception of the country that we are all in, whether or not New Haven is your final stop. “I see the looks on people’s faces when they walk into the space and they realize what it is,” he said, smiling. “It makes me very happy to do that.” Andy Rubenoff also plays the piano at New Haven Taste of China. His next performance is Thursday, Sept. 3, from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p/m. Only by sitting under a stripe could I begin to understand the installation’s scale. Credit: Andy Rubenoff Photo The lights are mesmerizing at all angles. Credit: Andy Rubenoff Photo The post The Spirit Of Betsy Ross Sweeps Into Union Station appeared first on New Haven Independent. ...read more read less