MoonGARDEN art exhibit is so quirky even New Yorkers can’t ignore it
They’re moonstruck.
A quirky art installation lighting up Lower Manhattan’s South Street Seaport is drawing New Yorkers and tourists like moths to a flame, with some marveling that the piece is so striking, they couldn’t walk past it without stopping, even in the blistering cold.
The MoonGARDEN on Pier 17 invites visitors to stroll among 14 illuminated orbs and projected oceanic-esque shadows, or fantastical creatures called the “Abyss Walkers.”
“I saw the globe changing colors, and I heard the music, so I was like, ‘What is this? I have to check it out,’ ” said Lou Morales, 51, admitting he had walked through the waterfront area many times before but had never been inclined to stop and take in the scenery.
“I think it’s fantastic,” he said of the art venture. “I think in the middle of all the craziness of the city, you have this kind of peaceful music in the background. In fact, that’s what drew me. And then I saw all these other people looking.”
Morales of Hackettstown, NJ, was just one of dozens of people drawn toward the light show as the sun set Tuesday — even as temperatures dropped to a bone-chilling 20 degrees.
The visitors weaved their way through the various-sized orbs as the large shapes changed colors and shadows danced around their exteriors.
At the center of the display is a massive 20-foot-in-diameter sphere peppered with portholes, where guests are invited to peek inside to catch a glimpse of the “Abyss Walkers” — oceanic shadows partially created with wheels, gears and mechanical elements that have “evolved from the remnants of a past civilization,” its creators say.
Visitors are invited to add their own personal touches to the display by “painting” a cluster of orbs with the flashlights on their phones. Three spheres known as EXPosure are outfitted with technology that briefly remembers the streams.
Cherry Almedino, 26, said she added MoonGARDEN to her itinerary after discovering the magic on social media.
“The lights!” the Rochester native said, explaining what drew her to the show. “I knew I wanted to see this. It’s something nice.”
Almedino and boyfriend Stephen Pride, 22, pointed out that another major draw is that the installation is free for all — something harder and harder to come by, with many other art shows in the city costing visitors as much as $50 to attend.
MoonGARDEN has been well-received by both tourists and Big Apple residents alike.
“It’s definitely made an impact,” said Right Hudson, 29, of FiDI as he toted along his newborn to walk the family dog, Pabu.
Hudson said has noticed an increase in locals stopping to appreciate the installation since it was installed in late November.
“We really like the music,” he continued, pointing to the soft bubbling, ethereal sounds of the piece.
“I think this is the most notable for me because it actually has audio included. No matter what’s visual, you’re going to tune it out at some point. you’re going to get used to it. But having something be multi-sensory is what’s going to be really pleasant,” the dad said.
Still, locals Hannah and Stuart Bryson said the music did little to hold their attention after weeks of daily visits to the pier — though they admitted they also liked the display much more than some previous installations.
The couple pointed to a prior show that involved sculptures of women in swimsuits, noting that their pup G.G. “hated” the hyperrealistic pieces.
“When I first saw [MoonGARDEN], it was about sunset time, and it’s definitely gorgeous, and people take lots of video. It’s interactive. You can tell people love it,” said Hannah, 29, adding that people “clearly not from the area” swarm the area on the weekends.
Casey Warren and her fiancé Tyler Marlo of Tennessee made an unexpected pit stop on their way to the South Ferry Terminal after spotting the glowing spheres while walking down South Street.
“We’re from the middle of nowhere, so there’s nothing like this where we live,” Warren said. “There’s just cornfields. So we’re appreciative of having things to look at and see that isn’t just a McDonald’s or a Walmart. People are putting time and effort and money into things that are pleasant to experience.
“I’m sure the hustle and bustle gets old and people from here might like peace and quiet and the space where we’re from, but we don’t have things like this. It’s pretty f–king cool.”
MoonGARDEN will be on view through February — at which time the Abyss Walkers will move on to wander to another metropolis.
