They’re dismantling Conjoined – the Roxy Paine steel trees in Madison Square Park – and I am sad to see it go. I walk through that park pretty much every day and I have seen a slew of art projects come and go, but none seemed to resonate as deeply with the people who happened by as the trees did. On a daily basis, at almost any time of day, people with cameras lined the fence to take pictures. During warmer weather folks would migrate to the center of the field to sit under them… as if they were real trees.
What I found most intriguing about them… why I think they are probably the most important installation to hit Madison Square Park in my memory… is the way they played nature against the artificiality of the metropolis that they ultimately live in. The trees’ presence stopped the passer by and forced them into the subtle revelation that no matter how hard they tried to escape the city… that no matter how close they felt to nature in the park… they are ultimately encumbered by the rush and pull of man made chaos.
Next up: Richard Deacon – Hopefully he’ll deliver something profound, but he has a hard act to follow.
Related links:
Curbed:
Please Step Away From the Big Metal Tree
Why Love NY: Timber! Beware of Falling Steel Trees in Madison Square Park
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