welcome

Welcome to the The New York CiTY waTerfalls!

The New York City Waterfalls by artist Olafur Eliasson is comprised of four man-made waterfalls in the New York Harbor situated along the shorelines of Lower Manhattan, Brooklyn and Governors Island. The Waterfalls range from 90 to 120-feet tall and will be on view from June 26 through October 13, 2008. They will operate seven days a week from 7 am to 10 pm daily, except Tuesdays and Thursdays, when the hours are 9 am to 10 pm.

The Waterfalls are located at the Brooklyn Anchorage of the Brooklyn Bridge; between Piers 4 and 5 in Brooklyn, adjacent to the Brooklyn Heights Promenade; on Pier 35 in Manhattan, north of the Manhattan Bridge; and on the north shore of Governors Island. There are various vantage points along the waterfront in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Governors Island from which to see them (please see the“How to Visit” section of this brochure for directions). The New York City Waterfalls provide different experiences at each location, and the artist hopes you will visit all of them. You can get closest to the Waterfalls at Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park, along the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway near Rutgers Street, on the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, on Governors Island, and by boat in the New York Harbor. Circle Line Downtown is offering free and specially-priced boat tours to view the Waterfalls.

The New York City Waterfalls is an example of public art—art that is experienced in public spaces. This project is one of the most ambitious works of public art to date. The Waterfalls will temporarily transform the City’s shorelines and are free and open to everyone throughout the summer and early fall.

The Waterfalls, situated in the New York Harbor, are in proximity to some of the most historic structures and areas of New York, including the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges, Governors Island and the Statue of Liberty. The presence of the Waterfalls calls our attention to the riverfront and the way it has been and is currently being constructed, organized, developed, experienced and used.

We hope you will use this guide to learn more about the Waterfalls and that this work of public art will encourage discussion, observation and understanding of our unique New York City environment.

JUNE 26 THRUOCTOBER 13, 2008

THENEW YORK CITY

WATERFALLS

Olafur Eliasson

www.nycwaterfalls.org

PRESENTED BY

IN COLLABORATION WITH

THE CITY OFNEW YORK

questions

Who created the Waterfalls?The New York City Waterfalls was conceived by artist Olafur Eliasson. Eliasson was born in Copenhagen in 1967, and grew up in both Iceland and Denmark. He attended the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Copenhagen and currently divides his time between his family home in Copenhagen and his studio in Berlin. Throughout his career, he has taken inspiration from natural elements and phenomena to create sculptures and installations that evoke sensory experiences.

A team of almost two hundred people have worked on The New York City Waterfalls, ranging from members of the artist’s studio and the staff of Public Art Fund, to partners within the City and State of New York and its various agencies, as well as Tishman Construction Corporation, Consolidated Edison, Circle Line Downtown and a legal team from Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP. Among the individuals

involved in the project are structural and civil engineers from STV Incorporated, mechanical engineers at Jaros Baum & Bolles, as well as other engineers, designers, specialists and consultants. The planning and development of this project began in March 2006, and in March 2008 the construction phase began and lasted approximately three months.

What inspired Olafur Eliasson to make the Waterfalls and to build them in New York City?Olafur Eliasson has been traveling to New York since he was a student in the late 1980s, and he is inspired by the waterways that surround and flow through the City. The Waterfalls address his interest in highlighting our relationship to our environment. The New York City Waterfalls integrate the spectacular beauty of nature into the urban landscape on a dramatic scale. While Eliasson has built waterfalls before, he has never created them on such a grand scale.

Why are the Waterfalls temporary?The mission of Public Art Fund, the non-profit organization that commissioned The New York City Waterfalls, is to invite artists to temporarily present works of public art. This allows for short-term interventions by artists into the fabric of the city. The New York City Waterfalls is one of these temporary projects.

Are the Waterfalls environmentally sound?The utmost care has been taken to protect aquatic life. “Intake filter pools” covered with mesh, and located in the water beneath each of the waterfalls, as well as low velocity pumps ensure that fish are not pulled into the pumps. All the electricity used during the operation of the Waterfalls is one hundred percent offset by “green power”—electricity generated from renewable resources. The Waterfalls will also be lit with LED lights, which draw much less power than other electrical light sources.

What is public art? Art takes many forms including paintings, drawings, sculptures, photographs, music, dance and installations in the environment. This project is a monumental scale work of public art that responds to a series of sites along the East River. The Waterfalls call attention to New York’s extensive natural and built environment and ask us to consider our relationship to the waterfront.

Public Art Fund has worked with over 500 artists since its founding in 1977. Other current Public Art Fund projects include Chris Burden’s What My Dad Gave Me at Rockefeller Center (through July 19), James Yamada’s Our Starry Night at Doris C. Freedman Plaza in Central Park (through October 28), and Everyday Eden at MetroTech Center in Brooklyn (through September 7). For more information, visit www.publicartfund.org.

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➡Olafur Eliasson grew up in Denmark and Iceland, and his work is inspired by natural elements such as wind, moss, light and water.

➡The Waterfalls are 90–120ft tall. The tallest Waterfall is almost as tall as the Statue of Liberty! She is 111’ from her heel to the top of her head.

➡Together the four Waterfalls churn 35,000 gallons of water per minute, which equals 2,100,000 gallons per hour!

➡The water used in the Waterfalls comes from the East River. It is filtered first in “intake filter pools” suspended in the river to ensure fish and larvae are not pulled into the pumps or harmed.

➡Olafur Eliasson chose to build the Waterfalls from scaffolding because it is a common part of New York City’s landscape and a reference to of the City’s continual physical transformation.

➡The East River is not really a river. It is technically a “strait,” or a water body that connects two larger bodies of water (in this case, the Long Island Sound and the Upper New York Bay).

➡The East River is part of the New York Harbor Estuary System. That means it is a place where fresh water (from the Hudson River) and salt water (from the Atlantic Ocean) meet, making it a habitat that can host an incredibly diverse population of animals and plants.

➡All of the electricity used during the operation of the Waterfalls is 100% offset by “green power”—electricity generated from renewable resources.

➡If there are extreme winds, storms or a heat wave in New York City, the Waterfalls may be temporarily turned off until the conditions are more favorable.

how iT works

The Waterfalls are made of common building materials, mainly scaffolding, pumps and piping. Water from the East River is collected in “intake filter pools”(1), which are covered in mesh with holes less than 1 millimeter in diameter and secured underwater. These pools protect fish and aquatic life, which cannot penetrate the fabric. Pumps (2) pull water out of these pools and raise it in pipes (3) to the top of the scaffolding. The water is pushed over a “trough”(4), and then falls back into the river creating a waterfall effect. The water is re-circulated into the “intake filter pools” and pumped to the top of the structures again and again.

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Throughout his career, Olafur Eliasson’s work has been inspired by natural elements such as wind, water, light and fog, which have played a role in his sculpture, installations and photographs. However, at the root of his artworks, including The New York City Waterfalls, is his keen interest in the way we perceive the world around us. Eliasson’s work encourages us to consider what we see, and more importantly how we see and experience our surroundings. With The New York City Waterfalls our attention is called to the riverfront and the addition of something seemingly natural — waterfalls — that have been artificially constructed.

Other Works by Olafur Eliasson

Green riverIn 1998, Eliasson began outdoor interventions by adding uranin, a non-toxic green dye used by naval forces to test ocean currents, to rivers in a number of different cities in Europe, America and Asia. When mixed with water, uranin emits an unnatural bright green hue that provokes thoughts of environmental disaster or pollution. Propelled by natural currents, the green color traveled throughout the river, dramatically changing the landscape and spectators’ perception of it, conjuring disorientation and poetic beauty.

Moss Wall, 1994A hidden wood-and-wire structure anchors reindeer moss to the gallery wall. Throughout the duration of the installation and exhibition, the soft moss changes shape and color, giving off natural odors in the process.

Double sunset, Utrecht, Netherlands, 1999In this work, Eliasson created an artificial sun, comprised of a giant yellow steel disc brightly illuminated by stadium lights at sunset. The disc was placed so that it appeared to be in proximity to the location where the sun naturally sets; the result was the appearance of two suns sinking toward the horizon. The artificiality of Eliasson’s installation was revealed by the presence of scaffolding structure that held the steel disc.

Your natural denudation inverted, Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, 1999Installed within a large outdoor courtyard at the museum, this piece consisted of a basin of water supported by scaffolding, which was erected around trees in the courtyard. A pipe running from the building’s internal heating system released puffs of hissing steam at the basin’s center. This site-specific work changed according to the seasons: leaves and snow accumulated in the large, shallow pool constructed specifically for the installation.

The weather project, Tate Modern, London, 2003In this site-specific installation, Eliasson introduced an artificial climate within the Tate’s Turbine Hall in London. The ceiling of the cavernous space was lined with mirrors that appeared to double the height of the space and reflected the viewers below. At one side of the hall abutting the ceiling, yellow monofrequency bulbs in a semi-spherical shape were reflected in the mirror to resemble a brilliant sun. Throughout the course of the day, vaporizers released mist into the space.

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The New York CiTY waTerfalls ARE LOCATED AT

Brooklyn Bridgeon the Brooklyn Anchorage

Brooklyn Piers between Piers 4 and 5 (west of the Brooklyn Heights Promenade)

Pier 35 in Manhattan adjacent to South Street at Rutgers Street (north of the Manhattan Bridge)

Governors Islandon the North Shore

HOURS Daily 7 am – 10 pm, except Tuesdays and Thursdays, when the hours are 9 am – 10 pm.

HOW TO VISIT THE WATERfALLS

Boat ToursAll of the Waterfalls are visible from special 30-minute boat tours operated by Circle Line Downtown, which leave from Pier 16 at South Street Seaport daily between 9 am and 8:30 pm. For tickets and schedules, please visit www.circlelinedowntown.com. The tours are specially priced and a limited number of free tickets are available by calling 866-9CLINE1 (1-866-925-4631).

Bike RoutesBike routes, organized by the Department of Transportation in collaboration with Public Art Fund, are marked with a waterfall icon on the streets around the Waterfront in Manhattan and Brooklyn. The route begins at City Hall on Centre Street and ends at Staten Island Ferry Terminal. Bike route maps are available on www.nycwaterfalls.org.

SUGGESTED VANTAGE POINTS

Battery Park, Manhattan Located at the southern tip of Battery Park Subways: 1 to South Ferry Station, walk southeast into Battery Park; 4 or 5 to Bowling Green Station, walk one block west on Battery Place to Battery Park; R or W to Whitehall Street-South Ferry Station, walk one block west on State Street to Battery Park

➡See Governors Island Waterfall

Pier 11, ManhattanLocated at South Street and Gouverneur Lane Subways: 2 or 3 to Wall Street Station, walk four blocks east on Wall Street to South Street; J, M, or Z to Broad Street Station, walk five blocks east on Wall Street to South Street

➡See all four Waterfalls

Piers 16 & 17 South Street Seaport, ManhattanLocated at Fulton Street and South StreetSubways: 2, 3, 4, 5, A, C, J, Z or M to Fulton Street Station, walk six blocks east on Fulton Street to South Street

➡See all four Waterfalls

Manhattan Waterfront Greenway, ManhattanThis section of the Greenway is located at South Street between the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan BridgeSubways: F to East Broadway Station, walk four blocks east on Rutgers Street and two blocks south on South Street; J, M, Z, 4, 5, or 6 to Brooklyn Bridge-City Hall/Chambers Street-Brooklyn Bridge Station, walk east on Frankfort Street or Wagner Street along the Brooklyn Bridge to South Street, walk two blocks north on South Street

➡See Waterfalls at Pier 35 (Manhattan), Brooklyn Bridge and Governors Island. See also all four Waterfalls from various points along the southeast section of the Greenway

Governors IslandDirections: Governors Island is open to the public every Friday, Saturday and Sunday until October 12th. (Friday: 10 am to 5 pm; Saturdays and Sundays: 10 am to 7 pm).Ferries: Free ferries leave from the Battery Maritime Building, at the corner of South Street and Whitehall Street. Ferry schedules vary by day; please visit www.govisland.com

➡See Waterfalls at Governors Island and Brooklyn Piers

Brooklyn Heights Promenade, BrooklynLocated at the end of Montague Street, above the Brooklyn-Queens ExpresswaySubways: 2 or 3 to Clark Street Station, walk three blocks south on Henry Street and three blocks west on Montague Street; M or R to Court Street Station, walk 5 blocks west on Montague Street; 4 or 5 to Borough Hall Station, walk two blocks north on Court Street, five blocks west on Montague Street; A, C, or F to Jay Street-Borough Hall Station, three blocks west on Willoughby Street, two blocks north on Court Street, and five blocks west on Montague Street to the Promenade

➡See Waterfalls at Brooklyn Piers and Governors Island

Pier 1, Brooklyn Bridge ParkLocated at Furman Street, south of Old Fulton StreetSubways: A or C to High Street Station, exit onto Cadman Plaza West/Old Fulton Street and walk west two blocks to Furman Street and then one block south to Doughty Street

➡See all four Waterfalls

Empire-fulton ferry State Park/Main Street ParkLocated at Main Street and Plymouth StreetSubways: A or C to High Street Station, exit onto Cadman Plaza West/Old Fulton Street and walk west two blocks to Water Street and north one block on Water Street; F to York Street Station, walk two blocks north on Jay Street to Water Street and four blocks west to Main Street

➡See Waterfalls at Brooklyn Bridge and Pier 35 (Manhattan)

For more information, please visit www.nycwaterfalls.org

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The New York City Waterfalls by Olafur Eliasson is presented by Public Art fund, in

collaboration with the City of New York. This project is presented in partnership with

Tishman Construction Corporation, with Water Tours provided by Circle Line Downtown,

and assistance from Consolidated Edison and Weil, Gotshal & Manges, LLP. It is made

possible in part by the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, which is funded

through Community Development Block Grants from the U.S. Department of Housing

and Urban Development. Lead supporters include Bloomberg LP, Agnes Gund and

Daniel Shapiro, Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, and The Rockefeller Foundation.

Major support has been provided by The Wachovia Foundation, Carson Family

Charitable Trust, Charina Endowment Fund, CIT, Forest City Ratner Companies, The

Leonard and Evelyn Lauder Foundation, The Silverweed Foundation and Ann Tenenbaum

and Thomas H. Lee. Generous support has been provided by Fiona and Stanley

Druckenmiller, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, Debra and Leon D. Black, Cindy and Tom

Secunda, Anonymous, Danish Ministry of Culture, The Diller-von Furstenberg Family

Foundation, Kathy and Richard S. Fuld, Jr., Danielle and David Ganek, Marc Haas

Foundation, Mimi and Peter Haas, Hamleys, Jennifer and Matthew Harris, Jill and Peter

Kraus, Stavros Niarchos Foundation, Peter Norton Family Foundation, Steven Rattner,

David Rockefeller, Judy and Michael Steinhardt, Tiffany & Co., Tishman Speyer, and

Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, with additional funds from Vital Projects Fund, Inc.,

American Express, Donald A. Capoccia, James R. Dinan and Elizabeth R. Miller, Judy

and Jamie Dimon, Lauren and Martin Geller, The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation,

Robert W. Johnson IV Charitable Trust, Leonard Litwin, Nancy and Duncan MacMillan,

Donald B. Marron Charitable Trust, Merrill Lynch & Co. Foundation, Inc., The New York Mets

Foundation, Inc., Nancy and Morris W. Offit, Peter Peterson, Jack Resnick & Sons, Inc.,

The Marshall Rose Family Foundation, Aby Rosen/RFR Holding LLC, Stephen M. Ross/

The Related Companies, Steven Roth, Structure Tone, David Teiger, Van Wagner

Communications, LLC, The Walt Disney Company, Joan and Sanford Weill, Merryl and

Charles Zegar Foundation, ICAP North America, The ABNY Foundation, Brookfield

Properties, Elise and Andrew Brownstein, The Durst Organization, EMC Corporation,

Eugene M. Grant & Co., LLC, Extell Development Company, Gilder Foundation, Goldman

Sachs, The William and Mary Greve Foundation, IBM, International Integrated Solutions,

Nastasi & Associates Inc., Anna Marie and Robert F. Shapiro, Larry A. Silverstein/Silverstein

Properties, Carmen and John Thain, The Jonathan M. Tisch Foundation, Laurie M. Tisch

Illuminations Fund, The Steve Tisch Foundation, Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, Barbara

J. Fife, Daniel and Estrellita Brodsky Family Foundation, Melva Bucksbaum, Creative Link

for the Arts, Constellation NewEnergy, Egg Electric, Fifth Floor Foundation, Nathalie and

Charles de Gunzburg, Ann and Gilbert Kinney, Holly and Jonathan Lipton, Edward John

Noble Foundation, Ninah and Michael Lynne, Nortel, Donna and Benjamin M. Rosen,

Jonathan Sobel & Marcia Dunn, and David Wine and Michael MacElhenny. Assistance

has been provided by SEAL Security LLC, A-Val Architectural Metal Corporation, BP

Mechanical Corp., Cosmopolitan Decorating Co. Inc., Hugh J. Freund, Glenn Fuhrman,

Furthermore: a program of the J.M. Kaplan Fund, Elizabeth S. and Steven B. Gruber,

George and Mariana Kaufman, Movado Group, NBC Universal, Patty Newburger and

Brad Wechsler, Red Crane Foundation, Joanne and Paul Schnell, Charles Short, Skadden,

Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, LLP, Melissa and Robert Soros, Billie Tsien and Tod Williams,

Jeanette Sarkisian Wagner, Brennan Brothers Company, Inc., Donnelly Mechanical Corp.,

Abby Kinsley and Richard Davison, OHM Electrical Corp., Tri-State Dismantling Corp.,

Randye and Gerald Blitstein, Sara Fitzmaurice and Perry Rubenstein, Anonymous, Peter

and Linda Ezersky, Marilynn and Ivan Karp, Allen Kolkowitz and Christopher Kusske,

The American-Scandinavian Foundation, Joan Feeney and Bruce Phillips, Beatrice and

Lloyd Frank, Hilary and Peter Hatch, Jenny Dixon and John Boone, Katherine and Richard

Kahan and the Frances and Jack Levy Foundation.

The New York CiTY waTerfallsby Olafur Eliasson

June 26 – October 13, 2008

Presented by

in collaboration with

in partnership with

made possible in part by

Education programs supported by

Text by Rebecca Krucoff

Edited by Caroline Chin and Rochelle Steiner

Design by Naomi Mizusaki, Supermarket

Public Art Fund

One East 53rd Street

New York, NY 10022

tel: 212 980 4575

www.nycwaterfalls.org

www.publicartfund.org

thank you

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT

The New York CiTY

waTerfallsPublic art Fund and

olafur eliasson

visitwww.nycwaterfalls.orgwww.publicartfund.orgwww.olafureliasson.net

www.nyc.govor call 311