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Visual Diary
The new waterfalls that were created in New York City by Olafur Eliasson was actually a nice addition to the already captivating lights and buildings of the city in my opinion. I think that Eliasson did a good job in capturing the beauty of the lights of the buildings with a sky-high waterfall structure of his own. The first image I have is of the city, in which you can see the brightness of even at night. You can see that even without the waterfalls, the view is so magnificent. It is almost impossible for me to be not captivated by the view of the whole city. The next image is Eliasson’s waterfalls. Even though I feel that Eliasson did a poor job in trying to imitate waterfalls that was created by nature, I think that he did a good job in complementing the water and lights with the buildings you see in the background. Some people can say that Eliasson was unsuccessful in trying to create waterfalls you can see out in nature, but I don’t think that was his original goal. I think that Eliasson tried to create a huge work of art that can go well with the city. He is an artist, not an architect. I don’t think people should criticize the structure of these waterfalls but rather look at the big picture of what he really tried to convey.
During this past summer, the waterfall at Governors Island fixated me from my workplace in Battery Park. I figured the structure would be mind-blowing close up, but honestly, the experience was disappointing. Although the concept of building waterfalls was brilliant, their construction was terrible. The enormous structures of metal poles and pipes were not appealing, and looked peculiar when the waterfalls were not running. From my standing, they seemed like unfinished plumbing projects randomly placed in the East River. Rather than complimenting their setting, the waterfalls obstructed New York City’s splendor. With a multimillion-dollar budget and the world’s greatest city as the location, Olafur Eliasson could have designed the waterfalls profusely better.
The waterfall clearly looks displaced among New York City’s buildings and highways. Bceause it was developed with pipes and poles, the waterfall has the appearance of an unfinished construction project.
The weakness of the waterfalls against New York City’s extraordinary skyline is clearly visible. If you look closely, you will realize the dark shadow under the Brooklyn Bridge is a waterfall, which was not operating during the tour. Even if the waterfall was functioning properly, it would be utterly disappointing compared to the brilliance of New York City. This experience did not meet the expectations I had developed during my summer at Battery Park. The waterfalls were better off seen from a distance, where the pipes and poles were less noticeable.
-Ramandeep Singh
There are 4 major elements of nature; water, fire, earth, and wind. It is well known that a person can eternally watch fire and water in any shape and form. We enjoy watching the tide turn, the stillness of a lake, or even raindrops falling from the sky. A person is exceptionally mesmerized by the energy of falling water. I believe that artist Olafur Eliasson wanted to incorporate this effect in his art. The waterfalls, situated in New York City, one of the most energetic cities in the world, merge with the energy of the architecture. The design of the metal base, to some extent, duplicates the silhouettes of several Manhattan skyscrapers. In the daytime, the sun sparkles on the strands of water, just as it reflects off the buildings behind it. In the nighttime, the illuminated falls successfully blend with the Downtown Skyline.
To be honest, even a small waterfall on a mountain river brings out more emotion from my soul, than does any artificial water. However, even if such a waterfall did exist in the city, it would be completely isolated for the life of the city. I think these metal structures are an excellent idea; aesthetically as well as to remind us that we are on an island, the most energetic island in the world.
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“In the nighttime, the illuminated falls successfully blend with the Downtown Skyline
“In the daytime, the sun sparkles on the strands of water, just as it reflects off the buildings behind it.”
“The metal base duplicates the silhouettes of several Manhattan skyscrapers.”
“I think these metal structures are an excellent idea; aesthetically as well as to remind us that we are on an island, the most energetic island in the world.”
With a cell phone at hand and an out-of -charge camera in my purse, I arrived at the South Street Seaport at 6pm, eager to see waterfalls with an industrial background. The juxtaposition of the natural and the artificial was an intriguing concept; and it was about time that the toxic waters of New York City were sublimated to produce something attractive and innovative. I believe that one of the goals of this project was to allow natives to renew their perspective of the city and enjoy its atmosphere and landscape.
Yet 20 million dollar waterfalls gave way for very high expectations. I hoped to see the beauty of a symbol of nature’s power on the foreground of the epitome of man’s capacity. What I saw was a stream of water, lit blue. In terms of space, their placement seemed arbitrary and disconnected to their surroundings. I sought to see waterfalls, and all I really got was water falling. Unexpectedly, this experience opened my eyes to something that had been faded from overexposure.
Most New Yorkers see the city from the inside out. Walking through the financial district or Tribeca becomes an ordinary part of life: the taxi-yellow traffic, eclipsing buildings, and crowded streets are the norm. Walking along the pier at sunset and watching the distant glowing lights from the boat allowed me to see the city from the outside in.
The sun was still setting and the skyscrapers were lit. The light settled on the water. I had not yet gotten on the boat, but my trip has started with this view of the city. I became an outsider.
The evening progressed and the city shrunk at a distance. The lights on the bridges hung like garlands. The further I go off-shore, the less of the city’s details I possess. My frame of mind grows smaller as I see a wider scape.
We all took the same picture, narrow in our perception. We are aware of the city’s lights behind the falling water. A city seen behind water is foreign.
I firmly believe that any trip, no matter where or when it is, is fully affected by the company it is taken with. That is why the theme I chose for this trip surrounded my new friends. Even though we all come from different backgrounds, and different areas, we all share the same love for the city in which we roam around everyday. From the beginning of my trip, I was always with someone, whether it was hanging out beforehand; waiting for our departure, or just hanging out on the boat, talking to everyone at once about our thoughts of the city at night. I really don’t think that my experience would have been so fulfilling if it weren’t for everyone that I was with.
Initially, I didn’t really expect to have much of a good time. I had been to South Street Seaport many times before, and the sights were getting to be mundane. Though I had never been to the Seaport with the same company, I didn’t realize how much of a different experience one could have with different company, and this is where my idea was born. As soon as we reached the pier, I took out my camera and snapped a shot of one of my friends against the backdrop of the mall. After that, I kept trying to catch everyone off guard so that the pictures would reflect my friends in their natural environment, without having to pose.
I would have never thought that I would be able to have such a great time with people I knew so little about. But as the night progressed, I began to learn a little more about each of the kids that I was hanging out with. In doing so, my night was enriched, not only by the beauty of the waterfalls, but of the knowledge I was gaining on each of my new friends.
By the end of the night, I’ll admit that I acquire a newfound appreciation of New York City, after seeing its beauty at night, and of the waterfalls. But this is only because of the company that I had. Under different circumstances, I’m sure that I would have just lightly glanced at the waterfalls without absorbing anything. But with such great company to appreciate the beauty of it all, I couldn’t help but grasp all that was around me.
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