Not Just for Refined Tastes

Roar! I know I often write about sweet art but this time the art isn't just sweet to look at but also to taste! Turns out Creativetime is presenting an amazing new sculpture series by Kara Walker that's housed in the old Domino Sugar Refinery in Williamsburg! This will probably be the last chance I get to go inside the factory before it's razed and turned into condos so I decided to head on over to the Williamsburg waterfront to check it out! Roar! 

Roar! Here I am outside of the Domino Sugar Refinery. Look at this huge line of people waiting to see the Kara Walker Domino! Give me a break! Turns out the line moves really fast and it didn't take more than half an hour for me to get inside. That is also pretty sweet! Roar!

Oh Henry! Kara Walker has sculpted a giant sugar sphinx in the center of the refinery! The full title of the installation is "A Subtlety or the Marvelous Sugar Baby an Homage to the unpaid and overworked Artisans who have refined our Sweet tastes from the cane fields to the Kitchens of the New World on the Occasion of the demolition of the Domino Sugar Refining Plant."  Woah! That is one serious title, though I've got to say there really isn't anything subtle about this installation. Roar! 

This pictures bound to get a few Snickers.  What can I say? I like, this, art, and I can not lie... this is incredible! I feel like I've hit PayDay at the Domino refinery, not only do I get to see this amazing art but I also get to check out the factory I've long admired from the Williamsburg bridge! Roar! 

There are a ton of other smaller sculptures through out the refinery. Everything is made of sugar and it's melting the whole time the show is up. I hope as this guy's arm melts he doesn't get butterfingers and drop what he's carrying! Roar! 

Here are a bunch of photos of the decaying interior of the refinery. Things are so decrepit in here, I can't help but think it's a long way from 5th Ave! Roar! 

There is also a bunch of old machinery in the refinery, this is, it's, it's a, you know... Whatchamacallit? Oh I forget! Roar! 

There is a lot of other stuff that's messed up in the refinery. Here you can see all the walls that have begun to Krackle. No wonder they are tearing this place down it would cost more than a 100 Grand to fix this place up! Roar! 

Here are a couple detail shots of some crumbling stairs and pipes and rotting insulation. Despite all of this decay it really is a great location to host an art installation. Kudos to Creativetime for organizing it. Roar!

Here you can see the sugar from the sculptures melting and dripping all over the floors. It certainly added to the ambiance of the place. I must say Kara Walker certainly hit a Grand Slam with this show! In an interview she said this was some of the most fun she's had making art and it shows in the work! Roar!

The looming Domino refinery will soon be no more. A Subtlety is a great piece of commentary on the dark aspects of the history of sugar and presents plenty of ideas that a person probably wouldn't think about when staring at this building while biking over the bridge. It's also a fitting send off to a building with it's own rich history that's become something of a Brooklyn icon. The show is up until July 6th so if you have time come down to the sugar refinery and Take 5 with some sweet art. Roar! 

Key to the City

Roar! Today I went over to Times Square to take part in this neat citywide art project called the Key to the City. There is a kiosk between 42nd and 43rd street where they officially swear you in as a recipient of the key to the city. The key will unlock something special at 25 different locations spread throughout New York City. The idea is to examine the idea of public vs. private space, as well as show off some sweet locations not often visited in the city.

Here I am in front of the kiosk in Times Square, ready to get my key!

This is Sheiva who was waiting next to me in line to get a key to the city. She was also the person who dedicated the key to me and I dedicated a key to her. Roar!

Here I have my key and a passport to the city which lists all the places my key will open.

here's a close up of the key. I really like the design on it. 

Here is the dedication page of the passport. Sheiva dedicated the key to me for "Small claws, staying dry and fluffy in the rain." That was so nice of her. In her passport I dedicated a key to her from being a "nice young lady with sweet headphones. Roar!"

It turned out one of the places you could use your key was over in Bryant Park so I stomped over to 6th Ave to check it out.

Here is the lamppost in Bryant Part with a small box on the bottom that my key will open.

Hmm, I wonder what is going to be inside this box?

Oh my goodness, it's the switch to the lamp post! Now I can turn it on and off at my own whim. There is even a little statue someone left and a note that says "Everything is better bathed in purple light." Let's flip the switch and find out!

Roar! Look at that beautiful lit bulb! I better turn it off though, so as not to waste electricity. Not to mention I don't want to deprive the next person of the pleasure of turning it on for themselves.

Being able to access the box and turn the light off was really neat. I can't to see what lies in store for me now that I have the key to city! Roar!