New York City Waterfalls

The New York City Waterfalls was an artistic display by Olafur Eliasson. It consisted of four man-made waterfalls which lined the East River in New York. The waterfalls ran from June 2008 to October 2008. The art was made not only to blend in with the water but with its surroundings. Each scaffolding was created to look central to the area it was in. The location of these waterfalls was key due to their visibility and what they stood for. Not only did these waterfalls stand for the revitalization of the waterfront but also a tribute to the city's energy and constant bustle. It represents the value of nature and how we can reuse energy. This is mostly site-specific because of the representation of the culture and nature of New York City. Eliasson was able to combine both with the use of the scaffolding and the ladder. It gave tourists and citizens a new view of the City since the waterfalls themselves were not a buisness but rather a statement. Even though the waterfalls were assumed to bring in a lot more money from tourism, their sole function was to unite culture and nature in a city that is mostly known to not be so natural. Upon seeing them myself, I found them not only to be gorgeous but moving. I took a boat ride past the waterfalls and I found them to be stunning in their representation. To find such art on the East River was very unnatural but at the same time, fit in perfectly.