PLAY: The Waterfalls

As I was walking and biking around the city this weekend I captured the waterfalls from a few different spots and angles. According to the artist's statement, the purpose of the waterfalls is to encourage people to "identify more with the waterfront of New York City" and to offer "an intimate and intellectually challenging experience to the people visiting the sites along the waterfront". While I am generally underwhelmed by the waterfalls - rather than majestic, I find the structures a bit awkward and the water flow too thin to impress - I have to give the artist credit for dragging New Yorkers and tourist out into venues they would otherwise be unlikely to go to with some astonishing views. I have long maintained that the waterfront in New York is tragically underutilized, especially when compared to some other cities built on water (Stockholm comes to mind), in part due to the genius idea of encircling Manhattan with highways (thanks, Moses!) thereby trapping people inside the island, both physically and psychologically. Projects like this, along with actual waterfront development (like the Hudson River park, the Brooklyn Piers, etc), may change things for the better. For my part, while taking photos of the waterfalls, I was inspired to organize a picnic in Brooklyn Bridge park one weekend before the summer ends - stay tuned! PS: Make sure to take a look at the detail of this panoramic photo.