Nitin Jayaswal
Listening Benches, 2002
Concrete
Miami Seaport

For his new project Listening Benches, artist Nitin Jayaswal created seating elements for exterior areas of the Royal Caribbean International Cruise Terminal in Miami’s Seaport. The pieces, formed in concrete with a hollow core, undulate in measured movements. The concept for the benches came as Jayaswal observed the movements of a dolly that he had constructed as it rolled across the floor of his studio.  The dolly was designed to have a pair of offset wheels which when rotated, produced a swagger that moved both vertically and horizontally. Drawings of the dolly’s movements became the blueprint for the Listening Benches.

For Jayaswal, the benches evoke the rhythm of ocean travel and are meant to reference sound waves echoing through the hollow core, rather like a seashell. Stated Jayaswal, “the Listening Benches will provide not only seating but more importantly, visual connections with the movements of the sea or cruise ship…”

Jayaswal holds a Master of Architecture from the University of Florida, Gainesville.  In 2002, he received the ARTS UP Artist Residencies Transforming Seattle’s Urban Places Award from the Seattle Arts Commission.  He has been a guest lecturer at the Department of Art History, University of Florida.

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