While pigeons aren’t exactly greeted with open arms in New York — often fondly referred to locally as ‘rats of the sky’ — artist Duke Riley has found a way to elevate the common urban fowl via 'Fly by Night', a performance that has brought hundreds to the gates of Brooklyn’s Navy Yard, eager to catch a glimpse of the birds in action.
Taking a page from the historic tradition of pigeon fancying, Riley has trained a flock of over 2,000 birds to perform an elegant choreography, each with a small LED light adhered to their ankles to create a glittering display across the night’s sky.
Standing atop their coops, Riley and his collaborators wave large swaths of fabrics, guiding the birds through a series of practiced movements.
The event, which has been sold-out since before it opened has a waitlist of nearly 40,000, is now extended through 19 June, adding three additional performances to its run. Those interested in attending can reserve a ticket or become a member of Creative Time, the creative initiative that has helped organise numerous public art projects (including this one), to ensure two tickets to one of the final performances.
‘Creative Time is committed to helping artists realise their dreams, and Duke's dream was for Fly By Night to be his gift to New York,’ says Katie Hollander, Creative Time’s executive director. ‘We are grateful for the opportunity for more New Yorkers to experience its magic.’
Those less fortunate to snag a ticket can also view the spectacle from across the river at the East River Park Ampitheater.
Taking a page from the historic tradition of pigeon fancying, Riley has trained a flock of over 2,000 birds to perform an elegant choreography, each with a small LED light adhered to their ankles to create a glittering display across the night’s sky
Standing atop their coops, Riley and his collaborators wave large swaths of fabrics, guiding the birds through a series of practiced movements
Made possible by Creative Time, an initiative that has helped organize numerous public art projects (including this one), its executive director Katie Hollander says, ‘Creative Time is committed to helping artists realize their dreams, and Duke's dream was for Fly By Night to be his gift to New York.’
The event, which has been sold-out since before it opened has a waitlist of nearly 40,000, is now extended through 19 June, adding three additional performances to its run
INFORMATION
'Fly by Night' is now extended until 19 June. For more details, please visit the Eventbrite website
Photography: Tod Seelie
ADDRESS
Brooklyn Navy Yard
63 Flushing Ave
Brooklyn, New York
-
A new art museum brings colour, quirk and a celebration of creativity to DohaLawh Wa Qalam: M. F. Husain Museum is awash with colour and character, courtesy of Indian architect Martand Khosla and the Qatar Foundation
-
Out of office: The Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the weekThis week, the Wallpaper* team had its finger on the pulse of architecture, interiors and fashion – while also scooping the latest on the Radiohead reunion and London’s buzziest pizza
-
Donald Judd's furniture arrives in South Korea for the first timeAt Hyundai Card Storage, a new exhibition curated by Flavin Judd brings together thirty-eight furniture designs by the artist, revealing how his thinking on proportion, materials and use shaped everyday space
-
Out of office: The Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the weekIt’s been a week of escapism: daydreams of Ghana sparked by lively local projects, glimpses of Tokyo on nostalgic film rolls, and a charming foray into the heart of Christmas as the festive season kicks off in earnest
-
Ed Ruscha’s foray into chocolate is sweet, smart and very AmericanArt and chocolate combine deliciously in ‘Made in California’, a project from the artist with andSons Chocolatiers
-
Inside the work of photographer Seydou Keïta, who captured portraits across West Africa‘Seydou Keïta: A Tactile Lens’, an exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum, New York, celebrates the 20th-century photographer
-
Out of office: The Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the weekFrom sumo wrestling to Singaporean fare, medieval manuscripts to magnetic exhibitions, the Wallpaper* team have traversed the length and breadth of culture in the capital this week
-
María Berrío creates fantastical worlds from Japanese-paper collages in New YorkNew York-based Colombian artist María Berrío explores a love of folklore and myth in delicate and colourful works on paper
-
Out of office: the Wallpaper* editors’ picks of the weekAs we approach Frieze, our editors have been trawling the capital's galleries. Elsewhere: a 'Wineglass' marathon, a must-see film, and a visit to a science museum
-
June Leaf’s New York survey captures a life in motionJune Leaf made art in many forms for over seven decades, with an unstoppable energy and fierce appetite leading her to rationalise life in her own terms.
-
Jamel Shabazz’s photographs are a love letter to Prospect ParkIn a new book, ‘Prospect Park: Photographs of a Brooklyn Oasis, 1980 to 2025’, Jamel Shabazz discovers a warmer side of human nature
