City Island Halloween Celebration

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Last night I could not sleep. So I was very busy taking about twenty pictures to be used in a photo collage called Autumn Fruit. They look a little like the Italian Renaissance artist Arciibaldi who made mask like surreal pictures of people`s faces out of out of Autumn fruit.

I take many pictures of the sun rising over Hart Island which is across the water from my beach house on City Island next to the Long Island Sound.

A million or more people have been buried on Hart Island by the city over the last 100 years, just over the water. These individuals could not afford a burial elsewhere. However, their records are carefully kept by the city on a computer data base. They will be remembered almost forever.

According to Christian belief, all the dead souls rise up on "All Saints Day Evening," "Holy Evening " or "Halloween". One tradition is that they are actually enjoying themselves back in the world having a party just for the day, starting in the evening for twenty four hours.

In the case of City Island and Hart Island this creates a special consideration.Where are the the million plus dead souls of Hart Island going to go? They cannot all be on Hart Island since is a very small island. There is not even enough standing room only! That can only mean one thing, many of the souls of the dead will be coming to our Halloween Parade on City Island!

On Thursday October 31 Halloween Day I will be giving a talk at the City Island Library "Halloween Sunrise Over Hart Island 2013" It will be a slide show on a large high definition Blue Ray TV set. I will show 500 pictures at 3 second intervals. The show will last about half an hour. There will be hundreds of pictures of dramatic sunrises. I will also show pictures which have a surreal and mysterious theme. These include pictures of some of my own collages "The London Bombing 2006" "Two Bathers", and photos of pictures by Robert Rauchenbergs" " Canyon"and "Bed" Also pictures by the Italian Renaissance Artist Arcibaldi "Winter" "Summer" and "Autumn". Also plenty of photos of desirable Autumn fruit!

Barbara Dolensick, head of the City Island Historical society will also give a talk on the History and significance of Hart Island.

The talk will take place just before the City Island Halloween Parade. The time of the event will be posted by the City Island Library.

Robert G Cox

City Island Library

320 City Island Avenue (between Bay & Fordham Sts
Bronx, NY 10464
(718) 885-1703

Fully accessible to wheelchairs

Library Manager: Judd Karlman