Comments on: Art Installation Removed at Empire Stores

By: Robbie

Robbie — Sat, 16 May 2009 23:26:39 +0000

“Due to time constraints, Exhibitology was not able to secure permission in time to for the May 7th install…”

I like how there was an official install date for an illegal (however cool) art project and that it was the justification for not getting permission. Seriously, public artists, do us all a favor and ask first so we can actually enjoy your work for a while.

By: VH

VH — Fri, 15 May 2009 16:59:32 +0000

Just a thought to throw out there…I think the idea is great, I like their re-working of the sidewalk shed.
Of course, they also made a fool of the guys who are in charge of that space. It poison’s any future working relationship to getting something long-term in there.

By: Anon

Anon — Fri, 15 May 2009 14:56:17 +0000

Haha the only way you could walk into any part of it with your face is if you were crawling through the bars of the scaffolding to begin with. None of it was unsafe unless a hurricane blew down Water Street. It’s a shame it was only up for a few days. But, beauty is fleeting sometimes…

By: Mike

Mike — Thu, 14 May 2009 21:58:59 +0000

If someone manages to walk into anything “with their faces” then I think they shouldn’t be walking the streets of NYC at all. Water st. isn’t a crowded street where people have to dodge other pedestrians while they mosey on down the road. Oh and crazy drivers speeding down that belgian block street? Pretty weak argument. Again, I agree that the artist should have gotten permission 1st, but cries of the scaffolding art being unsafe while the tobacco warehouse literally crumbles with age are a bit agitating. The state needs to spend more time finding a sponsor to rehabilitate the warehouse and less time worrying about well intentioned art “vandalising” crappy scaffolding.

By: VH

VH — Thu, 14 May 2009 18:37:13 +0000

Yep, Bridge & Water. I know which you are talking about. Surprised it did not take out a car. I never walk under that thing.

By: detroit Dave

detroit Dave — Thu, 14 May 2009 17:40:58 +0000

Ok..

It was very cool. I met the people they were very nice, and were not bitching at all that they had to remove it.

They didn’t have permission which I wish they could have done to make it a longer display happen.

The Bottom portion of the art hanging below the scaffolding was very dangerous. I stoped two people from walking into it with their faces. So that part needed to be thought out a litte bit more.

If scafloding looks unsafe Please call 311 to get action by the Dept. of Buildings. I do this once a week for the one on bridge and water forcing them to continue to make repairs.

By: VH

VH — Thu, 14 May 2009 16:29:02 +0000

If they had actually taken the time and effort to secure permission, do it the right way, then people could enjoy it. But to choose to just throw it up, and moan that the “man” is taking away their fun. Come on, High-School is over.

Let’s face the facts, it can be either a “yuppie” or a “hipster”, but if somebody splits open their head, I promise you they will sue. Why should more of my tax money go to stupid litigation that can easily be prevented.

By: j.d.

j.d. — Thu, 14 May 2009 16:01:52 +0000

BTW, I am all for yuppie gentrification. I have no nostalgia for gritty, crime ridden, crack infested, old school brooklyn misguided people seem to yearn for.

By: 2cent

2cent — Thu, 14 May 2009 15:48:24 +0000

Beaurocracy and liability. Liability is ruining all the fun. If you have to dodge the dumbo “speedsters” you might hit your head and sue. Which would mean your dumb and you don’t take responsibility for your said dumbness.
Of course, to consider, there is the initial response of getting a scaffold up at, guessing here, tens of thousands a year, to stop the dumb guys from getting hit in the head by debris and litigating.
After all those head hits are the dumb, lack of accountability guys still able to sue?
I’m a yuppie gentrifier by the way.

By: When Twitter Goes Awry (and Atwitter) - City Room Blog - NYTimes.com

When Twitter Goes Awry (and Atwitter) - City Room Blog - NYTimes.com — Thu, 14 May 2009 15:31:05 +0000

[...] on top of a sidewalk bridge of the Empire Stores building in the Empire-Fulton State Park in Dumbo, has been de-fenced by the state park officials. [...]

By: Mike

Mike — Thu, 14 May 2009 15:10:05 +0000

The art install was truly fantastic and imaginative. The artist should have gotten approval, but for the state to call this vandalism is taking it too far. I hope the artists consider submitting an official proposal and that the state allows the project to go back up. It’s amazing what a little art can do for a desolate stretch…

By: j.d.

j.d. — Thu, 14 May 2009 14:54:49 +0000

While I agree the art was pleasant, imagine the lawsuit headaches the city has to face if a piece of unauthorized art fell on some yuppie gentrifier strolling by.

By: WaterSt.

WaterSt. — Thu, 14 May 2009 10:33:58 +0000

wow. a great example of how painfully dumb bureaucracy ruins a good thing… thank you to the organizers who worked hard to make this happen, it was wonderful while it lasted.

By: dumbostreets

dumbostreets — Thu, 14 May 2009 09:38:47 +0000

I see these things all over the place, sometimes left up for years and they really diminish our nice old buildings.

Has anyone really gotten hurt by a piece of falling facade or is this just some way a contractor rips of the city in a vast insurance scam??

I’d like to see some before and after data concerning injuries resulting from falling bits. I suspect it is a big bogus money suck.