public art

Jay-Z, Ed Ruscha and Marilyn Minter to Design Water Tanks in New York

Courtesy Word Above the Street

The Art Newspaper reports that nonprofit organization Word Above the Street has signed up a bevy of artists for a 12-week project to transform 300 of New York’s water towers into public artworks. Ed Ruscha, Lawrence Weiner, Marilyn Minter, E.V. Day, Tony Conrad, Andy Goldsworthy and Tony Oursler, as well as rapper Jay-Z are just some of the artists on board with the aptly named Water Tank Project, an effort to increase public awareness of the need to conserve water.

Word Above the Street is helmed by filmmaker Mary Jordan and supported by a team of curators that includes some art world bigwigs, like Lisa Dennison, the chairman of Sotheby’s North and South America; Neville Wakefield, the senior curatorial adviser for MoMA PS1; Alison Gingeras, the head curator of François Pinault’s collection; and Toby Devan Lewis, a trustee of the New Museum of Contemporary Art.

Though the full roster of artists is quite impressive, the project is not only open to established artists. The website has posted an open call to “all artists regardless of age, experience, sex, race, color, or national origin” and plans a school competition so some young artists will get the chance to express themselves across New York City’s skyline.

Here’s hoping Rachel Whiteread, a pioneer in water tower art, gets a crack at the project.

Update, Feb. 25: According to a representative at the Water Tower Project, at this time Radiohead singer Thom Yorke is not a part of the project, as was originally stated in this post.

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  • Word Above the Street

    Hi Rozalia, Thanks for the shout out! There are specs that need to be corrected in this article. Please contact info@wordabovethestreet.org

  • http://ns206414.ovh.net/~wp711/2012/02/23/jay-z-ed-ruscha-and-thom-yorke-to-design-water-tanks-in-new-york/ Jay-Z, Ed Ruscha and Thom Yorke to Design Water Tanks in New York | LY.ON

    [...] more here: Jay-Z, Ed Ruscha and Thom Yorke to Design Water Tanks in New York Cette entrée a été publiée dans François Pinault, avec comme mot(s)-clef(s) 12-week-project, [...]

  • Joeb10021

    what if no one wants to see their envirofascist propagandist crap littering our skyscape? hope you’ve run this by the community boards…

  • Jay_zdrama

    Hello im A guy coming from West Africa and i want Jay-z for rep for the world to see the true of my King Jay-z and i need way out to come home soon love
    One

  • http://www.iamscotthodge.com/2-23-12-mishellaneous 2.23.12 Mishellaneous « I am Scott Hodge

    [...] Love this. Jay-Z, Ed Ruscha and Thom Yorke to Design Water Tanks in New York. [...]

  • http://www.thenyc.info/2012/02/nycs-skyline-is-about-to-get-a-little-help-from-thom-yorke/ NYC’s Skyline Is About To Get A Little Help From Thom Yorke – The NYC Info News 24-hours in New York City, delivering breaking news and features about the five boroughs. – The Nyc Info

    [...] Above The Street has signed the two on to help transform water tanks in New York City. According to GalleristNY, the 12-week project will take on 300 of New York’s water towers, turning them all into public [...]

  • http://newyork.localme.me/art/nycs-skyline-is-about-to-get-a-little-help-from-thom-yorke NYC’s Skyline Is About To Get A Little Help From Thom Yorke | New York Local Me.me

    [...] Above The Street has signed the two on to help transform water tanks in New York City. According to GalleristNY, the 12-week project will take on 300 of NewArticle source: [...]

  • http://tyt.info/jay-z-and-thom-yorke-joining-word-above-the-street-for-conservation-awareness-huffington-post.html Jay-Z And Thom Yorke Joining ‘Word Above The Street’ For Conservation Awareness – Huffington Post

    [...] GalleristNY [...]

  • http://james.h-info.co.in/?p=5177 My Blog » » NYC’s Skyline Is About To Get A Little Help From Thom Yorke

    [...] The Street has sealed a dual on to assistance renovate H2O tanks in New York City. According to GalleristNY, a 12-week plan will take on 300 of New York’s H2O towers, branch them all into open artworks. [...]

  • http://allindstrom.com/2012/02/news-jay-z-s_c_-others-to-design-artwork-on-nyc-water-tanks-for-charity/ News: Jay-Z (@S_C_), Others to Design Artwork on NYC Water Tanks for Charity

    [...] but look forward to seeing a lot more art in strange places if you live around New York. Shouts to Gallerist NY. Related posts:Guest Blog: The A-Plus Corner: Dame Dash's Birthday Toast to Jay-ZNews: Pharrell [...]

  • http://rainsoftottawa.wordpress.com/2012/04/05/part-3-word-above-the-streets-the-water-tank-project/ Part 3: WORD ABOVE THE STREET’S “THE WATER TANK PROJECT” | Rainsoft of Ottawa's Blog

    [...] Above The Street has signed the two on to help transform water tanks in New York City. According to GalleristNY, the 12-week project will take on 300 of New York’s water towers, turning them all into public [...]

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