Results tagged “thealamo”

Reader ianqui took this photograph of a cardboard box getting into the Halloween spirit early - by trying to be the Astor Place cube! Granted, it's not painted black, but white is so much more fetching to passers-by who want to scrawl various messages. We like to think of this box as Alamo-ette.

It's the longest day of the year, so you should be able to fit Shepard Fairey's exhibit and at least one of the following events in.

EVENT: Talking Head David Bryne joins Elizabeth Diller, recipient of a MacArthur Foundation "genius" grant, for a talk about new tendencies and relationships between architecture and music. Christopher Janney moderates. More information here.

Right when Gothamist had given up hope that the Cube (er, Tony Rosenthal's The Alamo) would ever return to its rightful place in Astor Place, instead to be replaced by that very unspinnable building the Sculpture for Living, comes word (third to last item) that it will eventually return. Warner Johnston, a Parks Department spokesperson, reports that the Cube, which was supposed to return 60 days after it was removed in March, is undergoing extra renovation thanks to new funds from the Department of Transportation (who actually owns the sculpture). "We will do a complete restoration taking it apart, replacing the axle, ball bearings. It will be spinnable and will be back in a couple of months." reported Johnston. Let's hope so, we miss it.

The City Parks Department contacted Gothamist to set the facts straight about the disappearance of the Astor Place Cube, the rotating sculpture beloved to New Yorkers. Director of Public Information Warner Johnston told us that the cube was removed last night for repairs: One of the four large bolts that attaches the cube to the base was missing! When people would try to rotate the cube, the cube would tilt, so the Parks Department decided that the 2500 pound cube needed to be repaired for everyone's safety. Good call! The Parks Department is working with the artist, Tony Rosenthal, as well as conservationists who worked on the cube in the 80s, to fix the cube. The Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe issued this statement:

The City has not forgotten The Alamo. With the assistance of the Mayor's Office and the Art Commission, we are working to give it emergency stabilization with funding provided by DOT, the custodian of the artwork. It will be returned to Astor Place better than ever.

Additionally, the pivot that allows the cube to be rotated will be repaired, so the cube will turn once again. The Park Department said we should expect the cube to be back in several weeks. Gothamist appreciates the speedy response from the Parks Department. If only the Mayor would reply to our email.