Times
Square is not a place where I usually hang out but last night after seeing a show
(more on that later), I stuck around to see a special video presentation.
Every
night this month at 11:57 pm, 15 of the largest digital screens in Times Square have switched from their normal advertisements to a count down for Björk’s “Mutual Core” video. Ending promptly
at midnight, the video is from the Streaming Museum’s Nordic Outbreak, a touring
exhibition of artwork by Nordic artists designed specifically for outdoor
spaces.
Times Square is always crowded even, as these few photos show, at midnight. So while cars (and horses) blew by and tourists milled around taking photos, I joined
a small group of Björk and art fans in the center of
the Square to wait for the video to begin.
It was pretty spectacular, even without any audio. The flowing lava looked very cool on the multiple screens, and I especially loved when Björk appeared above the Disney sign like some punk princess with blue hair. I just wish I had found out about this sooner; I would have braved the crowds to see it a second time.
The presentation was part of Midnight Moment, a program of the Times Square Advertising Coalition and Times Square Arts, the public art program of the Times Square Alliance, which brings innovative artists to the square. Last month the artist featured was Tracey Emin. Next month will be "The Power of Words," a birthday tribute to Nelson Mandela composed of quotes from his speeches.
To get a better idea of what the experience was like, check out this video.
Photos by Michele.
