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"What My Dad Gave Me" at Rock Center
By
Jen Carlson
Published Jun 11, 2008
Modified Jun 11, 2008
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Jun 11, 2008
Modified Jun 11, 2008
Share
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The East River waterfalls aren't the only thing being erected by the Public Art Fund this summer, yesterday they unveiled "What My Dad Gave Me," a sculpture of sorts by Chris Burden (whose father was an engineer). The piece is a 65-foot-tall replica of the Rockefeller Center tower made entirely out of Erector Set-esque pieces. The AP reported from the scene via video:
The Bowery Boys note that "Burden has dabbled in miniature constructions in the past, including a 28-foot model of the East River's Hell Gate Bridge" (though his work has been much more controversial in the past). Meanwhile, Bloomberg.com gets nostalgic and looks back at the inventor of the Erector Set, A.C. Gilbert, who "was himself inspired to make a building toy for children, in 1909, by seeing the exposed steel girders of the New York skyscrapers under construction in the early 20th century."
The mini tower is being housed at Rockefeller Center's Channel Gardens until July 19.
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Channel Gardens
Chris Burden
erector set
public art fund
rockefeller center
tower
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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