Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
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
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 .
View all 4
By
Jen Carlson
Published Oct 17, 2011
Modified Oct 17, 2011
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
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.
Tagged
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.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
Fake AI ads in the West 4th Street subway station unite commuters in hatred of AI ads
An installation by comedians Harris Alterman and Dave Ross accurately parodied the cheeky dystopia on display underground.
By
Emma Li
Published Aug 10, 2026
'It is a bit utopian': Why Public Service is Brooklyn's favorite dance party
DJs Mickey Perez and Cesar Toribio's free series is the sound of the city and New Yorkers love it.
By
Maia Appleby Melamed
Arts & Entertainment
'It is a bit utopian': Why Public Service is Brooklyn's favorite dance party
DJs Mickey Perez and Cesar Toribio's free series is the sound of the city and New Yorkers love it.
By
Maia Appleby Melamed
Challenge accepted: We went hunting for the secret bolt in Central Park
By
James Ramsay
Monica Barbaro's guide to running around New York City in heels
By
Sonia Rao
Do NYC restaurant workers have their knives out for the Anthony Bourdain movie?
By
Sonia Rao
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 .