FREE is the theme for this year’s Art in Odd Places (AiOP), an annual gathering of eye-catching art installations, exhibits and performances. Find the 70+ pieces on view along 14th Street, from Avenue C to the Hudson River this weekend. Installations, such as Leah Harper’s “Complimentary,” stands under the 14th Street entrance to the High Line. A sculpture of Edward Snowden is deep in contemplation over at Union Square. Interactive works take place throughout the weekend, some of which involve free slurpees, a curious robot and a quirky update of the film Taxi Driver. If you enjoy karaoke, don’t miss the protest-themed party on Friday night- audience involvement strongly encouraged!
14th Street is a fitting choice for FREE. After all, from one end to the other, 14th Street mirrors the questions and issues explored by FREE on openness, gentrification, independence and the resilient nature of art. The street runs the gamut, from the luxury boutiques in the Meatpacking District to Union Square’s big box retailers to Stuyvesant Town at the eastern end. Each piece, even the traveling sidewalk chairs, are presented with deliberate awareness of the place and surroundings, both physically and psychologically, to the thousands of commuters who use the street everyday.
Map and schedules available here. The interactive nature of these pieces means timing is unpredictable. Follow their blog, flickr feed, or @ArtinOddPlaces. You can also find the schedule of public programs here.