A children’s fable by Hans Christian Andersen, “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” comes to mind when it comes to a public art piece in the works by artist Stacey Williams-Ng. The art is “invisible,” just like the emperor’s new clothes. In this case though, it’s not a ruse.
On the sidewalk around the Crosstown Concourse fountain, Williams-Ng will use hydrophobic paint, which repels water, to create the piece. The shapes will be invisible when the plaza is dry, but when water from the fountain is splashed onto the shapes, they’ll become visible. Can you see it now?
Made possible through a grant provided by the Urban Child Institute, the piece is based on the environmental conservation of the Mississippi River. The idea is to teach kids about litter as they play in the splash pad in the summer. It’s a good lesson for all of us.
“I recently learned that the Mississippi River is in serious peril as a result of pollution,” says the artist, Williams-Ng. “I thought it would be really neat to create hidden objects and wildlife that reveal the problem of pollution in our rivers. After all, we don’t usually see litter either, so we assume that it’s not there. But beneath the surface, there is trash that is threatening our ecosystem.”
The artist has already started work creating cans, shoes, and other typical litter items, interspersed with river wildlife like catfish for the public reveal on Saturday. Activity sheets with an interactive map for a treasure hunt and a word-find puzzle will be available for the kids.
Opening reveal for “Invisible Aquaphobic Art,” Crosstown Concourse Plaza Fountain, 1350 Concourse, Saturday, June 26, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., free.
