The 24/7 news cycle is a tornado for those in its path. Most are picked up and dropped a few hours away, but here is one that has been blasted around the world: Takeshi Miyakawa, a Brooklyn based designer and visual artist, was apprehended by NY police early Sunday. Miyakawa, 50, has lived in the United States nearly half his life. Within the furniture-by-hand community and architectural renderings, he is well known. Now he is famous.
Miyakawa spent last week helping to set up and organize for Design Week in Manhattan. The only time to make his own work was last weekend when he began hanging "I Heart NY bags" in random locations; as installation art. On early Sunday morning, he was in the midst of hanging a bag from a New York City street lamp with a battery and LED's to light the bag from within. The police responded, called in the bomb squad, and hauled him to jail for "reckless endangerment".
New York Magazine reports, "A look at Miyakawa’s website reveals an ingenious, playful modernist who has made his mark pushing the envelope with recycled materials and fanciful geometric shapes. His work includes “candalier,” a chandelier made of wax that melts into nonexistence, stackable takeout containers that look like giant legos, and a fractal plywood cabinet."
At his arraignment on Sunday, the prosecutor did not press for incarceration. But Judge Martin Murphy decided that the artist had to be crazy. Such are the times we live in. The judge ordered a 30 day psychiatric evaluation for the mild-mannered artist. And so the world media, antennae alert, lifted the story to the cycle: "Takeshi Miyakawa arrested for allegedly planting fake bombs in "I Heart NY" bags in Brooklyn."
Miyakawa's colleagues and friends mounted a determined effort to get the story out; an artist rewarded for loving New York, sent down the black hole of New York City's criminal system. They attest to Miyakawa's calm, serene nature. These are serious thought workers who wear bike helmets and come to a full rest at stop signs. But that is not what the police saw -- at least at first -- and certainly not what the judge concluded.
Here was someone who happened to touch the fear of terror that spurred the biggest consolidation of police power and authority in US history. Unwittingly, Miyakawa hoisted the "I Heart NY" plastic bag on the street pole and struck the third rail of terror and paranoia that replaced "o beautiful for spacious skies" with visceral anxiety.
Street art has a hallowed place in New York City history, but the arrest of Miyakawa says that on balance, the threats are too great to accede to common sense. Anyone making art on the street with batteries and LED lights and plastic bags: be forewarned. You too could be charged with "planting false bombs."
There was nothing snarky or ill-mannered in Miyakawa's midnight effort; he wanted to promote a positive image of New York. Now the world knows that New York City can't differentiate those who love New York from those who might love New York for what it stands for and still want to strike it down. In this moment of attention that may yet last a while, New York City's loss is Miyakawa's gain as he sits in Rikers Island where Franz Kafka would be at home.
Miyakawa spent last week helping to set up and organize for Design Week in Manhattan. The only time to make his own work was last weekend when he began hanging "I Heart NY bags" in random locations; as installation art. On early Sunday morning, he was in the midst of hanging a bag from a New York City street lamp with a battery and LED's to light the bag from within. The police responded, called in the bomb squad, and hauled him to jail for "reckless endangerment".
New York Magazine reports, "A look at Miyakawa’s website reveals an ingenious, playful modernist who has made his mark pushing the envelope with recycled materials and fanciful geometric shapes. His work includes “candalier,” a chandelier made of wax that melts into nonexistence, stackable takeout containers that look like giant legos, and a fractal plywood cabinet."
At his arraignment on Sunday, the prosecutor did not press for incarceration. But Judge Martin Murphy decided that the artist had to be crazy. Such are the times we live in. The judge ordered a 30 day psychiatric evaluation for the mild-mannered artist. And so the world media, antennae alert, lifted the story to the cycle: "Takeshi Miyakawa arrested for allegedly planting fake bombs in "I Heart NY" bags in Brooklyn."
Miyakawa's colleagues and friends mounted a determined effort to get the story out; an artist rewarded for loving New York, sent down the black hole of New York City's criminal system. They attest to Miyakawa's calm, serene nature. These are serious thought workers who wear bike helmets and come to a full rest at stop signs. But that is not what the police saw -- at least at first -- and certainly not what the judge concluded.
Here was someone who happened to touch the fear of terror that spurred the biggest consolidation of police power and authority in US history. Unwittingly, Miyakawa hoisted the "I Heart NY" plastic bag on the street pole and struck the third rail of terror and paranoia that replaced "o beautiful for spacious skies" with visceral anxiety.
Street art has a hallowed place in New York City history, but the arrest of Miyakawa says that on balance, the threats are too great to accede to common sense. Anyone making art on the street with batteries and LED lights and plastic bags: be forewarned. You too could be charged with "planting false bombs."
There was nothing snarky or ill-mannered in Miyakawa's midnight effort; he wanted to promote a positive image of New York. Now the world knows that New York City can't differentiate those who love New York from those who might love New York for what it stands for and still want to strike it down. In this moment of attention that may yet last a while, New York City's loss is Miyakawa's gain as he sits in Rikers Island where Franz Kafka would be at home.
1 comment:
'I heart NY' is crazy!!
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