Richard Deon Hike New York - Long Island City

Richard Deon’s signs mark a four-mile urban pathway through Long Island City, Queens. A series of the artist’s Hike New York—Long Island City street signs are posted along the pathway to lead pedestrians to a number of locations of cultural importance within the community.

Deon’s sign series features the circular sign with title and graphic, and a second square sign featuring distances and directing pedestrians to the sites. The circular signs are approximately 24” in diameter.

Deon (b. 1956) explained, “There are usually two reasons to mark trails: to find the shortest distance from A to B, or to direct visitors in a route which offers aesthetic pleasure. Hiking trails in our national parks are an example of the latter. Pleasure routes have increased over the last decades to include: mountain trails, nature trails (birdwatching or wildlife), fitness trails, canoe routes, and bicycle routes. As a provider of service trails, the Department of Transportation manages and marks millions of highway miles.

I envisioned the Hike New York project to be flexible for many needs: to give visitors access to the various neighborhoods in New York City, to provide visually interesting landscapes (i.e. Manhattan skylines, train yards, ethnic neighborhoods, and architecture), and to connect the diverse cultural institutions.”