A tactile diptych featuring raised dot grids against a red and white backdrop, blending urban design with minimalist abstraction.

Believe it or not, these are called "truncated domes". They are raised dots sometimes of rubber, sometimes of tile (the city has tried various things). They are to alert pedestrians, particularly those with visual impairments, to changes in terrain or potential hazards. These particular panels (from curb cuts in NYC), were photographed 3 years apart. They are rubber ones of different designs, both with varying amounts of salt/snow covering the red background. The predominantly white one which to me appears to be a paper covering peeling off, when enlarged is clearly snow. This is the more highly textured of the two and includes the detail of a cross centered between the dots (it has a more intricate design). The predominantly red panel displays a hole in the rubber and some cracks in the surface. The dots themselves are more worn down on the red panel. Both panels were in decay and have undoubtably been replaced. I like the contrast between the mostly red and the mostly white, and the highly tactile feel. And it was fun to find 2 images shot years apart that went together so well. They are both from around Union Square.