The Americas

A Queens based arts centre has unveiled the hottest golden cultural ticket in New York City this summer, a colourful outdoor art installation which reflects the price of gold.  Seriously.

Perched on the waterfront of the East River overlooking the Manhattan skyline.

The installation on the East River overlooks the Manhattan skyline. Image by Yasunori Matsui

‘Meridian (Gold)’ is the new, temporary art installation which has captured the attention of New Yorkers along the waterfront in Long Island City at Hunter’s Point South Park.

 

 

The project, from renowned Brooklyn-born artist Mika Tajima, was selected by local high school students through the ‘Public Process’ program which was facilitated by the SculptureCenter.
The public installation, which will be in place until September 25, looks similar to a hot tub, perched on the waterfront of the East River with a perfect view of the charming Manhattan skyline.

 

A photo posted by @sculpturecenter on Jun 17, 2016 at 9:44am PDT

It is finished in red faux concrete, and visitors are invited to take a seat on the benches inside or stand in the middle of the square structure. Meanwhile, vaporised water is shooting into the air, just like a Icelandic geyser. The water mist changes colour in accordance to the price of gold on the stock markets around the world, flitting between magneta as the price rises and a pale blue shade of cyan as it drops. This is mastered by a computer system which checks the prices every two minutes, while the colour of the water is changed by LED lights.

 

The SculptureCenter says the ‘framing for ‘Meridian (Gold)’ is a seating zone that references communal rejuvenation spas and here becomes a site to reflect on the fleeting materiality of contemporary life’.   Visitors can stand inside the sculpture or sit on it, while looking out at the skyline on the financial service centre – an irony deliberately created by the artist.  

 

 

The changing of the colour of the vapour ‘corresponds in real time to the global sentiment for gold’, according to the SculptureCenter. Visitors have been highly amused and equally impressed by the unusual installation, with it popping up on hundreds of Instagram feeds in just two weeks and one fan describing it on social media as ‘one of the best sculptures’ they’ve ever seen.

 

Still celebrating #Mikatajima unveiling from last night! #meridiangold #sculpturecenter #publicart #vapors #nyc

A video posted by Allison Derusha (@amderusha) on Jun 10, 2016 at 9:51am PDT