Otterness

There's so much good art in galleries and museums in New York, the public art pretty much sucks, having put our resources into nifty architecture and parks instead.

The rare exception is Tom Otterness, who has installations all over town. Many, like the figures sprinkled throughout the 14th St IND station, carry a clear political theme, like cute little capitalists being dragged into manholes by alligators.

I used to walk through Battery Park on the way to work, where there's another group of Otterness oddities. The funny thing about them is that little stories can unfold depending on which viewpoint you have. I used to walk by and wonder about this little guy and his worm friend being eyed by the bird...

...and later noticed the lemur-like creature eyeing the bird...

...and much later, only be taking a different path home around the wall, did I notice the dog eyeing the lemur...

...but the dog is tied up to the water fountain. Why? Is he doomed to watch this scene as it unfolds, unable to participate, to save the bird or bite the lemur?

Thursday, October 30, 2003 | Permalink | Filed in New York

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