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Leon Reid Tells Us About The 60-Foot Spider He'd Like To Bring To The Brooklyn Bridge
By
Jen Carlson
Published Oct 17, 2011
Modified Oct 17, 2011
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Oct 17, 2011
Modified Oct 17, 2011
Share
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Artist Leon Reid IV, a Bed-Stuy resident who most recently transformed George Washington into a tourist, is aiming to adorn the Brooklyn Bridge next with a massive spider. Reid's arachnid would cost about $800,000 to pull off, but after seeing his renderings we'd donate to the cause (which kind of reminds us of that time in 1983 an 80-foot King Kong resided on the Empire State Building). Below he tells us a little more about the project.
What steps have you made to move this project forward, will there be a Kickstarter? The first step in moving "A Spider Lurks In Brooklyn" forward was to establish a funding platform. To meet that need I've partnered with ARTSPIRE, a program of NYFA which acts as my non-profit 501(c)3 conduit. [There will be no Kickstarter] All funds will be raised directly through ARTSPIRE. It should be noted that all funding sources will be private; we will not seek public sources of funding for this project. All donations to "A Spider Lurks In Brooklyn" are tax-deductible.
What would the spider be constructed of, and how big would it be? At this stage, the spider is designed to be a vinyl float filled with Helium approximately 60ft long, 30ft wide, 13ft high. Materials and size of the spider may be adapted to satisfy engineering concerns.
How long would you want it to be on the bridge? I would like the spider to remain on the bridge for two weeks during Halloween season (approximately October 15th through November 1st, 2014). Myself and others believe that "A Spider Lurks In Brooklyn" will be a draw for tourists and consequently bring in business for local restaurants, shops and vendors during its display.
How did you come up with this idea, and would you be open to bringing the spider to a different bridge in New York? Is the Brooklyn Bridge your first choice? One day in 2008, I was walking on the bridge from Brooklyn into Manhattan with my wife Caroline. Somewhere on the stretch leading up to the Brooklyn-side arches, it hit me; what if a spider crawled through the cables? Could a spider have designed the cable structure? Is this what it feels like to be trapped in a spider web? The idea was compelling enough for me to pursue. The spider could not work—visually—on any bridge other than the Brooklyn Bridge.
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a spider lurks in brooklyn
art
leon reid
leon Reid IV
public art
spider
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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