Hello, Columbus!

Starting tomorrow, September 20th, you can get really close to Christopher Columbus -- or at least to the white marble statue in Columbus Circle created in 1892 by Gaetano Russo. With funding from Public Art Fund, the Japanese artist Tatzu Nishi has constructed a "living room" six stories in the air, and 50 people at a time can walk up and...  just hang out with the Genovese explorer (as these people did at a preview this morning). The artist has already done several similar statue-interventions including building a one room hotel around a likeness of Queen Victoria in Liverpool, England.  Free tickets are available online HERE and it's open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. until November 18th

Tatzu Nishi inside his exhibition. Photo by Tom Powel, Courtesy Public Art Fund, NY

Wallpaper in the space features cartoon depictions of Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, Michael Jackson, Mickey Mouse and other iconic pop imagery. Photo by Tom Powel, Courtesy Public Art Fund, NY

The exhibition's exterior in Columbus Circle. Photo by Tom Powel, Courtesy Public Art Fund, NYTop photo by Tom Powel, Courtesy Public Art Fund, NY