Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
A Literal Economic Meltdown
By
Jen Chung
Published Oct 29, 2008
Modified Oct 29, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Chung
Published Oct 29, 2008
Modified Oct 29, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

Photographs by Frank Franklin II/AP
Today, on the 79th anniversary of the 1929 Black Tuesday stock market crash, artists Nora Ligorano and Marshall Reese-- Ligorano/Reese-- installed an ice sculpture of the word "Economy" in Foley Square. And the piece, called "Main Street Meltdown," is a "temporary monument" and Ligorano explained, "To see the word 'economy' melting down is representational of our extreme time.”
You can see the sculpture at Foley Square, south of Worth Street, between Centre and Lafayette Streets (across from the NY State Supreme Court building). There's a photo of the sculpture partially melted after the jump--more photographs and video at their website, Main Street Meltdown. Other recent statements about the economy downtown: The charging bull gets blue balls, a kid reenacts apple selling of the Depression, and a "pimp" was seen walking on John Street.

Tagged
economic meltdown
economy
ice sculpture
wall street
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Deer are all over New Jersey roads looking for sex, state officials warn
Mid-October through mid-December is deer mating season, which can be a danger to drivers as the sex-seeking creatures cross roadways throughout the Garden State.
By
Rosemary Misdary
Published Oct 16, 2026 at 4:22 p.m. ET
Man messaged 'I got straight poison' before giving NYC college students fentanyl, feds say
A transcript from an April court hearing sheds new light on what transpired at Fashion Institute of Technology.
By
Samantha Max
News
Man messaged 'I got straight poison' before giving NYC college students fentanyl, feds say
A transcript from an April court hearing sheds new light on what transpired at Fashion Institute of Technology.
By
Samantha Max
Inside the plan to fix the nearly collapsed Pfizer Building, 1/64th of an inch at a time
By
David Brand
School bus carrying autistic students got lost in Brooklyn for 4 hours last year
By
Jessica Gould
NYC’s bridges can last 'forever,' if we take care of them
By
Clayton Guse
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .