Otherworldly Aerial Photos of Couples Lounging in Central Park

By Alison Nastasi

June 21, 2015

Sheep Meadow in Central Park “was originally the home to a flock of pure bred sheep from 1864 until 1934.” Since then, the area has been restored and maintained, becoming the city’s first Quiet Zone. A tiny slice of Zen for sunbathers, picnickers, and families looking for a quick getaway from the rat race, Sheep Meadow is also a draw for photographer Michael Massaia. The artist captures photos of couples lounging on Sheep Meadow from above, presenting them in abstract form, divorced from their surroundings. We’re left with the language of an embrace or a languid pose. Massaia exhibits the photos vertically with a dark background, which makes it seem as though each couple is floating in the ether, an otherworldly space and time.

Photo credit: Michael Massaia