ALBANY â€" The artist Jeff Koons is best known for his whimsical sculptures of giant puppies made of flowers, and balloon animals fashioned from stainless steel.
But now Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has given Mr. Koons a new assignment: helping to review the designs for a new Tappan Zee Bridge.
Mr. Koons is among a star-studded team announced on Wednesday by Mr. Cuomo to make sure that the new bridge will “live up to the beauty and splendor of the Hudson River.†The panel will also include the renowned architect, Richard Meier, as well the director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Thomas P. Campbell, a tapestries specialist.
At a news conference, the governor off ered little insight into his own aesthetic sensibility. But he made clear that the state intended to construct a bridge that would be more memorable than the existing one, which crosses the Hudson River between Westchester and Rockland Counties.
“This is one of the really beautiful places on this planet, and this bridge is going to be there for a long, long time â€" 100 years, 150 years,†Mr. Cuomo said.
Asked if he had any particular design in mind, the governor responded, “I think we'll know it when we see it, you know? We want an attractive design that enhances the region, and bringing that perspective to the table is important.â€
Mr. Koons, Mr. Meier and Mr. Campbell were among six experts named by Mr. Cuomo to review the design elements of the three bids the state received for the bridge project. The group will advise a selection committee that will make a recommendation to the state Thruway Authority, whose board is expect to select a bid by th e end of this year.
The design team will also include Alison Spear, an architect who lives in the Hudson Valley, Keith Brownlie, a bridge designer, and Thomas Wermuth, a historian who is the vice president for academic affairs and the dean of faculty at Marist College.
Mr. Koons and Mr. Meier are each based in New York City. Mr. Meier, in a telephone interview, said he was “open minded†about the aesthetic of the new bridge, and said he hoped that the final product would be “something people think of in a positive manner.â€
“When you think of the great bridges in New York City, you think of the Brooklyn Bridge, right?†Mr. Meier said. “From any point of view, it's a beautiful bridge, and one would hope that what happens here is of that quality.â€
In a statement released by the governor's office, Mr. Koons said, “It's a wonderful opportunity for our generation to contribute to a project that will not only enhance everyday life but help define a sense of place for New York.â€
A Koons work, a large locomotive dangling from a crane, has been under consideration as a possible addition to the High Line.
The selection of Mr. Koons drew some attention on Twitter, where journalists and other commentators mused about how his sensibility might affect the bridge design:
Jeff Koons on Cuomo's Tappan Zee Bridge aesthetic advisory panel. Related: new bridge to be a giant puppy made of flowers.
- Ted Mann (@thetrough) September 19, 2012
Jeff Koons reviewing designs for new Tappan Zee Bridge? Expect something involving giant topiary puppies: poughkeepsiejournal.com/article/201209…
- Matt Conroy (@TheVipersNest) September 19, 2012
I hope Jeff Koons uses his position on the Tappan Zee design review team to get a balloon dog in there somewhere. lohud.us/ PHqXkD
- Andrew Grossman (@A_Grossman) September 19, 2012
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