Yesterday Ellis Island's historic south side was opened to the public, with plans to invite small touring groups to visit into next year. While the abandoned buildings sit amongst an overgrown landscape and old, rusting equipment, there are some new additions. Artist JR has pasted up historic life size photographs around the empty buildings, as part of his ongoing "Unframed" project, which extends off the island—his "intent is to evoke a sense of time and place and give context to the human lives that were touched by their time at Ellis Island."
We stopped by early yesterday morning for a preview of the work (which will remain until it naturally disappears)—click through for photographer Sam Horine's shots.
Tickets for the guided tours are on sale through Save Ellis Island and Statue Cruises. (You will also be able to buy tickets for hard hat tours of the unrestored buildings, which has never been offered before.)
