New York Lights Installation at Flatiron & Madison Square Park Light Up the Season

Yoichiro Mizuno of INABA checking the mirrored panels

It’s always fun to check in on the Madison Square Park Conservancy to see what art they’re featuring, from an installation of water towers to a life-size Lego reproduction of the Statue of Liberty. This time, the Flatiron 23rd Street Partnership Business Improvement District put together a creative competition for artists outside the park. We caught up with Yoichiro Mizuno of INABA, on the North Public Plaza today, where we got to see the winning exhibit, New York Light, a mirror-paneled light installation.

Designers were given the challenge of creating an installation for the Plaza facing the Flatiron Building that the public could interact with not only in the daylight hours, but also at night. Seven artists and architectural firms were invited to submit and the jury included representatives from the Flatiron 23rd Street Partnership and Van Alen Institute’s Board of Trustees.

A View of the Flatiron Building with New York Light by INABA in the forefront

The winner – INABA, a Brooklyn based company specializing in concept development, creation and design. Their winning piece named New York Light is the result of a collaboration between the INABA, bengal.ferro, Tillotson Design Associates, Robert Silman Associates, Walsh Electrical Contracting, Inc.,, DLC International Lights, Crestron, Bartco Lighting and Naho Kubota. The installation frames the Flatiron Building and at the same time, opens up to the Empire State Building to the North. Standing within the panels, we can see partial reflections of all that surround the installation.

LED and mirrored panels at the center of the crossroads of Broadway and Fifth Avenue

In the evening, the LED’s create a stunning reflection of the buildings and visitors. New York Light is certainly a centerpiece for the group’s 23 Days of Flatiron Cheer, which offers a full calendar of events from an evening of caroling to the ugliest sweater competition. Not forgetting the spirit of the season, a day on their calendar for a food drive.

New York Light by INABA-Madison Square Park Conservancy-5th Avenue-Flatiron-NYC-005 Photo by Cameron Blaylock. Courtesy of Van Alen Institute.

New York Light by INABA-Madison Square Park Conservancy-5th Avenue-Flatiron-NYC-003 Photo by Cameron Blaylock. Courtesy of Van Alen Institute.

New York Light is part of the "23 Days of Flatiron Cheer" — New York Light is part of the “23 Days of Flatiron Cheer”

Facing the Flatiron Building, you are drawn to the latest Flatiron Prow Art Space exhibit. 50 steel helmets from the Vietnam war, covered in photos and notes taken from war correspondents. Cindy Kane (the artist) noted that “Soldiers are our boots on the ground, but journalists are our eyes on the ground.” and so the exhibit is named Eyes on the Ground. A thoughtful exhibit, beautifully curated by Cheryl McGinnis.

Currently in the Flatiron Artspace are a tribute to war correspondents

Some of the war correspondents featured are Steven Erlanger, Raymond Bonner, Kirk Semple, Jane Perlez, Ethan Bronner, Anthony Shadid and the photographer Lynsey Addario.