Just kidding. That's not the Cube. The Cube is rumored to return with lights and a mechanical base that makes it spin on its own.
This is just a massive advertisement for Citibank, taking up the entire new semi-privatized Astor Place, rumored to be managed by a secret committee inside the "Sculpture for Living" luxury condo tower that looks down upon it.
People used to fight for Astor Place to remain itself. But most of our fighters have been kicked out of the neighborhood. Who has come to replace them?
This is neoliberalized New York, where everything's for the corporations, but you can have an "interactive fun zone" good time, too. Spin those heels! And forget about the devastation of hyper-gentrification and income inequality. And climate change. And endless war. And...
This sculpture is so hideous it should not be there even for a short stay! Considering all the bailout money Citigroup received, It's so arrogant that they are pasting their brand name all over this city! It's like they are modern day corporate conquistadors erecting their flag to let the people know who's in charge now.
ReplyDeleteLike Jeremiah said, the ones who would have been outraged by the omnipotent corporate staining of our city have already been pushed out. However, There are still a few of us left who remember the "Alamo" and we want our cube back!
"Parlor tricks" and "red herrings"
ReplyDelete...that's what our country has evolved into.
I went to Citi funded "Summer Streets" last week out of curiosity. As an out of shape senior I did not ride a bike, but I made it on foot up to 54th Street where there was a "rest stop." There Citi had placed an enormous model of a pair of headphones and an enormous fork. Each was as least 15 ft. tall and solid blue plastic. Participants were invited to take a selfie by it, post it to social media, and then they were entitled to wait on line for some kind of trinket prize. I don't use social media so I did not qualify. The headphones and fork commemorated NYC for musicians and chefs, and blue is my favorite color, but they looked so ugly. When I read what the other poster wrote, I did think of the fork. Like they were "claiming" the land with these big, childish, cornball monuments.
ReplyDeleteAs a shoe enthusiast and lover of New York I am disgusted and offended with that ugly, UGLY thing. I honestly believe this is the second worst advertisement I've recently seen (the first being the "do plants" campaign for Silk).
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