Tatzu Nishi Brings Public Art to Columbus Circle in NYC

Tatzi Nishi's public art installation in Columbus Circle NYC

How many times have you been to (or, more likely, speedily passed through) Columbus Circle in NYC without even for a second looking up at the 13-foot-tall statue of the explorer that gives the place its name. Hundreds? Thousands? Well, Japanese artist Tatzu Nishi is about to change all that with his slightly bonkers but completely fun (and, we think, conceptually pretty brilliant) two-month-long interactive public art installation, Discovering Columbus. Here's how it works and, more important, how you can climb inside and see something you've never seen before, and, likely, will never see again…

Discovering Columbus by Tatzu Nishi to Top Out at Six Stories High

A diagram of Discovering Columbus by Tatzu Nishi

When completed, which will have to be soon, because opening day is September 20, Tatzu Nishi's Discovering Columbus public art installation will be a large-sized, furnished contemporary living room, constructed six stories above Columbus Circle and completely engulfing the statue. Basically, Christopher Columbus's giant stone body will function as a centerpiece for the living room, which is furnished (tastefully?) with couches, lamps, coffee tables, and who knows what else. You'll get to be right up close to the historic statue! And Nishi's living room will feature "loft-style windows", so the views up Broadway and CPW, across 59th Street and, of course, over Central Park should be lovely. As a bonus, at the end of the installation's public run, workers and restores will use the living room as a base for giving Columbus a much-needed cleaning and repair job.  

Discovering Columbus, a public art installation in NYC by Tatzu Nishi

Get on the Public Art Fund’s List for Admission to Discovering Columbus

Sounds great, right? But why are we telling you all this now, instead of going ourselves and showing you photographs, as we usually do in this space? Thing is, entrance to Tatzu Nishi's Discovering Columbus will be by advanced reservation only, which you can do, starting in "early September", at the Public Art Fund's website, here. So even though Nishi's installation will be open for a couple of months, if you want to go early in its run, this being NYC and all, you might want to click through to the site early and often. Nishi's done similar works before– he encircled a statue of Queen Victoria in Liverpool, for example, with a functioning hotel–and they've all been very popular. See you up there! 

Visit Tatzu Nishi’s Discovering Columbus in NYC

Tatzu Nishi's Discovering Columbus will be on view from September 20 through November 18. Entrance will be available by advanced reservation only. For more information and to make reservations beginning "early September", please see the Public Art Fund website, here

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