I’ll be the first to admit that sometimes I don’t “get” art, so perhaps the true meaning of Brooklyn, New York’s, latest artistic attraction is lost on me, but it sure does look like a watery passage to the netherworld. Artist Anish Kapoor is planning to bring a never-ending 26-foot wide black water whirlpool which he calls “Descension” to the bustling borough soon, and it’ll be quite the sight to behold.
Descension, which has been built previously as a smaller, indoor exhibit, will grace Brooklyn in a much larger scale. The ever swirling void of black dyed water will be built at Pier 1 in Brooklyn Bridge Park, and will serve as an attraction for art lovers and, presumably, those who just want to see a giant gaping hole into the underworld.
New York City’s Public Art Fund will be paying for its construction, and the gigantic liquid tornado is expected to be open for visitors by May. Of course, it’s always hard to predict how the public will react to various pieces of art, and considering that anything that lands inside the swirling suction of the pool will likely be pulled immediately to the bottom, you have to imagine it’s going to gather plenty of Starbucks cups and Whopper wrappers before the summer is through.
Regardless of how much litter the dark pool attracts, it’s undeniably interesting to look at. Does that make it art? I suppose it does. Now just don’t drop your smartphone in there because if you do there’s no way you’re ever getting it back.
