NYC Day #2: Show Me The Money

The second day of my trip to New York City was one that seemed designed to make me focus on the one thing most writers don't have much of: the money.

For example, we went and saw the play "Seminar" on Broadway, starring Hans Gruber/Metatron/Severus Snape himself, Alan Rickman. It's a simple, well-written play about a group of New York young people taking a writing seminar led by a blunt, womanizing instructor. I enjoyed it, but I came away feeling like the dominant message was, "Don't be a writer! They aren't real people!" If you want to make it as a writer, it seemed to say, you'll have to sell out. If you want to write something truly great... well, be prepared for a life of poverty and the fact that in all likelihood nobody will read it. It's cynical, but thought-provoking.

Similar thoughts were on my mind as I exited the New Museum, which currently has a four-floor exhibition showcasing the work of artist Carsten Holler. It's not your typical art exhibit - the dominant theme is that of "experience," and the works are designed to be interactive. For example, one might come across a tank filled with mysterious gelcap pills and a water cooler should a visitor decide to ingest one. There are glow-in-the-dark fish, flashing lights, a "Mirror Carousel," and a "Human Psycho Tank" which allows visitors to disrobe and float naked in salt water calibrated to body temperature, giving the feeling of weightlessness. And then there is the exhibition's crown jewel: a 102-foot slide which provides transportation from the fourth to second floors of the exhibition. People lined up for hours just for a 5-second trip down; I doubt they'd do the same just to look at a painting in a typical art exhibition.

These things are usually expensive to implement.It's a fascinating exhibit, and one I'm sure will have New Yorkers talking for quite some time. And yet, the cynical side of me couldn't help but think: how much did this cost to install?

This has always been my problem with museums and organizations that focus on visual and experimental art. It's pretty damn expensive. One could say the same thing about Hollywood films - should we really be spending $100 million making another movie about Spider-Man when that money could be used for, I don't know, stopping hunger in a small African nation? Hollywood economics are pretty messed up, I won't argue with that. And yet, at least those expensive blockbusters usually get screened around the world, for millions of people to enjoy. Museums, on the other hand.... those are local experiences. The only people who will get to see "Holler Carsten" are those who live in or make the trip to New York City.

At the end of the day, let's be honest: millions upon millions of dollars were spent so New Yorkers could go down a 102-foot indoor slide. In the grand scheme of things, is that a good thing?

 On the other hand... it's a pretty awesome slide.