You are reading

‘Backyard Pool’ to open in Long Island City

Backyard Pool

Backyard Pool

July 25, 2014 By Christian Murray

Socrates Sculpture Park is about to convert a small lot in Court Square into a life-sized, non-functioning swimming pool.

The new installation will be located on ‘The Lot’ (43-29 Crescent Street) and will consist of a concrete swimming pool filled with grass—instead of water.

Rockrose Development Corp., which opened the high-rise apartment building Linc LIC in Court Square last fall, is funding the piece.

The artwork is aptly titled “Backyard Pool” and is the work of Tamara Johnson.

The pool, which is kidney shaped, features a diving board and tiles.

The artwork aims to resemble small family pools that are found in suburban backyards around the country— including in Johnson’s hometown of Waco, Texas.

The piece is similar to another of Johnson’s works, “A Public Pool,” which was on display at Socrates Sculpture Park from Sept 2013 –March 2014, which was based on the Astoria Park Pool.

Backyard Pool will open on August 2, the same day that The Lot LIC Music & Film Series—sponsored by Rockrose–kicks off at that location for the season.

The Lot LIC Music & Film Series will run from Aug. 2 through Sept. 20 and will feature music every Saturday from 3 pm- 9pm and films every Thursday from 6 pm through 10 pm.

M. Wells Steakhouse, located next door to ‘The Lot,’ will offer food.

backyard
email the author: news@queenspost.com

9 Comments

Click for Comments 
mc

Really? Next they will make a tennis court filled with water. How do they get funding for this? What a waste.

Reply
Westsider

Did the city or state actually pay our tax money to the “artiste” who designed this ****? I would far rather use the money, as originally implemented many years ago, to fund an enforcement officer announcing to the assembled revelers that the park is CLOSED at 9:00 P.M. What a joy it was, during the 2 years the enforcement officer was on the job, to hear him/her at 9:00 P.M., *every night*, blow a whistle and announce to the grumbling funseekers that “the PARK is now CLOSED!” For many years the park has deteriorated into an all-night, anything-goes pleasure zone, filled until 5:00 A.M., from Thursday through Sunday, with yelling, screaming, brawling revelers who like to play their dueling boomboxes at full volume so “everyone in the neighborhood can enjoy the music too.”

Reply
LICRes

Perhaps condo buildings are actually a functional commentary on modern life!! Development is Art!

Reply
anon

Sillies, they didn’t create a real pool because it wouldn’t have been “art.”

This picture just about sums up what art has become in New York City. Or Waco. Or whatever.

Reply
Mimi Stone

What about a REAL pool. I think the neighborhood would love this NEW and exciting addition to our area. There is something called a pop-up pool you could try this to see if it “goes” then if it is successful you could do the real thing….this grass filled (whatever) is a joke.

Reply
Rich

Why couldn’t they have created a real swimming pool that would be more useful especially in these warm days

Reply

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

NY Hall of Science debuts CityWorks, its largest exhibition in over a decade

The New York Hall of Science in Corona opened its largest interactive exhibition in more than a decade on Saturday, May 3. The exhibition explores the often invisible inner workings of the built urban environment.

CityWorks is housed in a 6,000 square foot gallery, and the exhibit was created by a team of NYCSI exhibit developers, researchers, and educators over the past five years. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore the intricate systems and engineering that enable cities to function, including how they break, evolve, and endure.

Twenty people indicted in Queens-based $4.6M vehicle theft ring after three-year probe: DA

Twenty individuals were indicted and variously charged in a wide-ranging scheme to steal cars in Queens, throughout New York City and its suburbs, following a three-year investigation by the Queens District Attorney’s Office, the NYPD, and the New York State Police dubbed “Operation Hellcat,” into the criminal enterprise based in Queens.

Some of the vehicles were stolen from owners’ driveways, some with the keys or key fobs inside. The stolen vehicles were often sold through advertisements on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. The defendants are charged in nine separate indictments for a total of 373 counts, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced on Thursday.