Danish artist's waterfalls grace New York's East River
NEW YORK (AFP) — New York on Thursday inaugurated its latest open air art installation: four giant waterfalls along the East River by Danish artist Olafur Eliasson.
Four metal structures pump river water some 30 meters (90 feet) into the air, where it falls freely in liquid curtains 10 to 20 meters (30 to 60 feet) wide.
"It's about time and experiencing space," Eliasson, 41, said of his creation.
"Water has great potential to be both physical and very elusive, it can be many different things for many different people," he told AFP.
The four waterfalls are located on Governor's Island, under the Brooklyn Bridge, and on two piers. They are visible by day through October 13 from both the Manhattan and Brooklyn sides of the East River.
Special boat tours have been organized and the city has created special pedestrian and bicycle paths for observing the waterfalls.
New York's last major installation was Christo's "The Gates" in February 2005. It featured thousands of orange metal frames draped with saffron fabric along 23 miles (37 kilometers) of Central Park's pathways.
"The Gates" brought 254 million dollars to the New York economy, city officials said.
The 15.5 million dollar waterfall installation was privately financed. Organizers hope it will bring some 55 million fresh tourist dollars to the city.
