discovering columbus by tatzu nishi opens to the public in new york city

japanese artist tatzu nishi — known for his temporary artspaces constructed to transform the bystander’s interaction with common monuments or architectural details — opens ‘discovering columbus’ to the public. a stone statue carved in the likeliness of christopher columbus by italian sculptor gaetano russo in 1892 in new york city has been reimagined by nishi with the help of the public art fund. 

a perspective picturing the finished interior of nishi’s finished artspace
image by tom powel (main image by go sugimoto / all images courtesy of the public art fund, NY)

nishi’s public artwork consists of a true-to-scale living room which has been built around the celebrated statue. russo’s christopher columbus now seems to be built atop a coffee table placed in the center of the space with three modern seating pieces facing the reinvigorated monument.

gaetano russo’s columbus sculpture
image by tom powel

the stone monument, completed in 1892, has been closed into a living room-like structure
image by tom powel

the wallpaper coating the interior of the temporary space depicts famous american figures
image by tom powel

a visualization of the exterior of the ‘discovering columbus’ space
image by tom powel

the stone-formed columbus peaks through his new living room window to the street-scape below
image by tom powel

an additional view of the temporary platform encompassing the explorer’s monument
image by tom powel

image by tatzu nishi

image by tom powel

panoramic view
image by tom powel

image by tatzu nishi

russo’s sculpture before being built into his impermanent home
image by jesse hamerman, courtesy public art fund, NY

a detailed perspective of the weathered statue
image by nicholas baume, courtesy public art fund, NY

top left to bottom left (clockwise): tatzu nishi: discovering columbus, artist’s concept interior, courtesy of the artist and public art fund, NY; tatzu nishi: discovering columbus, artist’s concept exterior, courtesy of the artist and public art fund, NY; installation of tatzu nishi: discovering columbus (august 2012), photo: jason wyche, courtesy public art fund, NY; portraits & columbus circle: photo: liz ligon, courtesy public art fund, NY