anish kapoor’s endlessly spinning whirlpool has descended on brooklyn. sited at pier 1 in brooklyn bridge park, the continuously spiraling funnel of water penetrates the earth in a powerful rush of ceaseless motion, drawing viewers in to its mystifying and mesmerizing abyss. presented by public art fund as part of its 40th anniversary season, and unveiled during NYCxDESIGN 2017, ‘descension’ turns an ordinary material like water into an extraordinarily behaving substance, disturbing the familiar notions of our world.
all photos by james ewing, public art fund, NY © anish kapoor, 2017
the presentation of ‘descension’ in brooklyn follows its first display as a smaller, interior work at india’s kochi-muziris biennale, after which it travelled to galleria continua in san gimignano, and later to a solo exhibition at versailles. this latest commission by public art fund, curated by public art fund director nicholas baume, is the first time kapoor has presented ‘descension’ in north america.
spanning 26 feet in diameter, the liquid mass converges in a central vortex, as if rushing water is being sucked into the ground at brooklyn bridge park. ‘descension’ stimulates the imagination and suggests a fictional dimension which can’t be seen, but can be observed and experienced from a curious, yet careful distance.
‘anish kapoor reminds us of the contingency of appearances: our senses inevitably deceive us. with descension, he creates an active object that resonates with changes in our understanding and experience of the world,’ described nicholas baume. ‘in this way, kapoor is interested in what we don’t know rather than in what we do, understanding that the limit of perception is also the threshold of human imagination.’
anish kapoor (26 articles)
anish kapoor sues the NRA for pro-gun ad featuring famed sculpture ‘cloud gate’
artist weaves labyrinth of deep red knots through clinic-turned-art-gallery in japan
anish kapoor to install an endless black whirlpool in brooklyn
anish kapoor buys apartment at herzog and de meuron's 56 leonard in new york
carsten höller to open world’s longest tunnel slide at anish kapoor's arcelormittal orbit
anish kapoor exhibits wax works, voids and mirrors for first solo show in russia
NYCxDESIGN 2017 (15 articles)
ed ng & terence ngan's flux collection for LASVIT portrays receding tides
yabu pushelberg's cipher collection for LASVIT allows multiple configurations
foscarini x ferruccio laviani's vibrant showcase at NYC x DESIGN 2017
public art (269 articles)
bernar venet frames belgian motorway in monumental corten steel l'arc majeur
reskate studio unveils three glow-in-the-dark street murals with hidden messages
morag myerscough's 'make happy' spreads positivity in hong kong during unsettling times
public art fund (13 articles)
erwin wurm parks beefy 'hot dog bus' in brooklyn, serving up free franks all summer long
ai weiwei erects 'good fences make good neighbors' across new york city's urban sprawl
ai weiwei to install fences around 300 new york city sites
art news
'boda boda madness' by jan hoek + bobbin case captures nairobi's eccentric motortaxi drivers
#art
the bikers are known for adding striking features to their vehicles to attract more customers.
the bikers are known for adding striking features to their vehicles to attract more customers.
bernar venet frames belgian motorway in monumental corten steel l'arc majeur
#art
fabricated out of massive sections of corten steel, bernar venet's sculpture expresses its raw materiality.
fabricated out of massive sections of corten steel, bernar venet's sculpture expresses its raw materiality.
'ping pond' and other twisted classics at MAAT's playmode exhibition
#art
playmode explores the power of game transformation, bringing together more than thirty national and international artists.
playmode explores the power of game transformation, bringing together more than thirty national and international artists.
a wrought iron volkswagen by rafael esparza-prieto celebrates the iconic beetle
#art
the design features 2,600 individual floral-inspired curlicue designs and was crafted using only a hammer and an anvil prior to being painted white.
the design features 2,600 individual floral-inspired curlicue designs and was crafted using only a hammer and an anvil prior to being painted white.
All of the local adverts have advertised this as a black vortex in the ground. It wasn’t until I found this article and SAW it in real life that I realized they were absolutely full of s..t.
It loses a lot of it’s charm without the dye.
If I wanted to see a giant vortex I would just stick my eyeballs down my drain post bath.
The comparison between the vortex and the river is a moot point because you can’t see the river while at the vortex.
It seems like NYC got shafted in their installation of this piece.
Maybe Kapoor didn’t want to waste his precious vantablack on us?
@ Tessie Violoa agree, but please look up what vantablack actually is- it can’t be applied in this matter haha.