Former Storefront Becomes a Brooklyn Light Installation

An old Macy’s storefront in Downtown Brooklyn has been turned into a work of art. The installation, titled, “In Every Transition, a Pattern,” was commissioned by the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership and created by MASARY Studios out of Boston.

The piece features small windows in the storefront display that light up in a kaleidoscope of color. Each window panel is connected to a recording of Fulton Street, and the lights flash to represent the different sounds of the city, such as pigeons, sirens, buses and garbage cans.

People walking by tend to stop and gaze at the dynamic display. Mayra Ortiz, a New Yorker who often shops near Fulton Street, said that when she first noticed the lights, she decided to cross the street to get a closer look.

"I didn’t notice it yesterday and I passed through here, but I did notice it today," Ortiz said. "It’s definitely pretty."

The piece was funded by a grant from New York City’s Small Business Services. Downtown Brooklyn Partnership said they wanted to create something that would light up the streets during the dark winter months, encouraging people to visit local businesses and restaurants in the area.

Regina Meyer, the president of the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, said people don’t have to make sense of the piece to enjoy it.

"Not everybody has to understand that the lights are art or derived from an algorithm of the rhythms of the street," Meyer said. “I think people all react to their environment in different ways, but I'm so excited to notice that people find it captivating. They know it's something different. And it’s something to sort of pause on." Meyer added they hope to create a similar installation next year.

Ryan Edwards, the co-founder and principal artist at MASARY, said his team was inspired by the tension and liveliness of the streets when creating the art work.

"I love things that are rhythmical but not audible,” Edwards said. “And in this case, that’s what we created — something that really attempted to evoke the rhythm of Fulton Street through light."

Edwards said he hopes the display encourages people to listen to their environment in a different way. He also explained that the title of the piece, "In Every Transition, a Pattern," was inspired by the ever-moving setting.

"Our cities are often in transition," Edwards said. "Things are changing and evolving. And for an artwork to be placed in a moment of transition, which is the title of the piece, ‘In Every Transition, a Pattern,’ there's something really special about that. It’s like an opening, you know? There’s a sense of possibility and when things are changing, people wonder."

The display will be up until March 16.

This story ran on the What’s What Podcast on 3/3/2026.