Gothamist: Arboricidal NYC Waterfalls End Killing Spree Today!

robingee

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 16:34:15 -0500

EPIC FAIL

zodak

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 14:01:00 -0500

my thought process is that this guy doesn't care about trees or the environment, he's just trying to get publicity for his cafe & is using the waterfalls to do it.

Politburo

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 12:23:11 -0500

bh - Even if no damage was done, my question stands. Why does the guy have to donate money to have a credible voice in the eyes of zodak? I don't, or didn't, have a position on the installation and its effects. I'm just wondering what zodak's thought process is.

NannyState

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 22:25:08 -0500

It wasn't art, it was an urban novelty, like that dippy ferris wheel in London, no more and no less. And its environmental impacts were never fully explored which means that the next douchebag who shows up with a big idea is going to get fully vetted, and probably turned down. Fuck 'em. Any attempt at "Environmental Art" is tired and overblown. 1974 is fucking over.

babyhitler

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 16:07:50 -0500

#13- what damage to his installation? sure a couple of trees got more yellow, but i'm sure the river cafe had a whole lot more business from the waterfalls. go to that area. the river cafe has like 30 trees and that's it. there are no other trees in that area. this is a non-story

ides_of_march

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:28:31 -0500

This so-called waterfall is a leaky overhead pipe compared to the real thing. Nature is the real genius when it comes to waterfalls.

Politburo

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 14:08:41 -0500

"i'd like to know how much $ that river cafe guy has donated to save the rainforests or plant trees here in nyc? hypocrite." How does this have any relation? Why does the guy have to donate money in order to have a credible voice on the damage done by this installation?

zodak

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:51:18 -0500

most of you people are complaining because you love to complain & the irritated residents are just a bunch of nimby's. i'd like to know how much $ that river cafe guy has donated to save the rainforests or plant trees here in nyc? hypocrite. i saw absinthe last week & while i was waiting to go in, the lit up waterfalls were beautiful to look at it. they seemed to be moving in slow motion. i also overheard tourists who had made a trip downtown just to check them out.

Rfive

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:44:45 -0500

Yay!!! The gothamist art critics speak again!!! Honestly, you guys should cut down on the art postings because it shows what blowhards matty and patleeman can be. stick to black/latino men and crime posts, of the dailynews/post variety. their analysis fits nicely there.

soopaman

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:32:36 -0500

YAY!!!!!!!

babyhitler

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:21:13 -0500

I don't even understand these complaints. the ONLY trees in that area are from the river cafe. and they are just this tiny area. Everything else is just docks, gravel, and places where the mob disposes of bodies. this is blown totally out of proportion.

Spiritof76

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:17:54 -0500

The difference is the seasons. In winter, tree roots are basically dormant. Early spring rainfall can help flush salt away before the tree begins its growth phase again. Here, you had salt spray not only on the soil but coating the leaves during the most active growth season for the trees, dehydrating them severely. It's a double whammy. Hopefully next time, the Public Art Fund will consult with some actual scientists before blowing millions of dollars on some big, useless project.

Clarice City

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:16:43 -0500

Are you an artist,Matty? Are you speaking from experience? Because I am a professional artist, that is how I make my living, and although this public installation was a failure in a number of ways I don't believe that all of New York City's Public art is "out of touch". In fact I met an artist that did a MTA mural (Times Square) and she spent an entire year of her life creating that mural and was paid next to nothing for it. It was an act of love for her city and she was honored to do it. The waterfalls were by an artist who is not a resident of NYC; so yes, out of touch. Artists who create work for the public basically do it for free because there is already too little funding for public art. I have served on these committees in other cities- I know this to be true. I agree that there is a lot of art that is not made accessable to the public- but there a lot of artists working very hard to change that and your ignorant attitude is the kind of thing that keeps good work from ever being seen.

patleeman

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:13:33 -0500

How were the waterfalls considered art? They were hideous eyesores! I used to see them every day and all you see is the monstrous latticework of scaffolding, which completely engulfs any waterfall effect. What a waste of money.

MT

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:05:01 -0500

Does anyone have any idea what the salt levels in soil are in the winter from all the salt that gets spread on the streets for snow? I can't imagine the salt from the waterfalls is anywhere near that level and the trees seem to survive every winter okay.

Spiritof76

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 12:51:35 -0500

You smell East River, I smell lawsuit. Class action, anyone?

Toby von Meistersinger

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 12:38:28 -0500

Thank goodness. As an aside, I think former parks commisioner Henry Stern either coined or popularized the term arboricide.

matty

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 12:36:25 -0500

i think as an artistic statement it shows how out of touch art and aritsts can be with their surroundings. Maybe people will learn something from this.

meowster

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 12:34:26 -0500

hah! nice headline. good riddance nature killers!