a light touch
New York has had one of hell of a winter so far. But respite from the snowfall-thaw-snowfall pattern has already arrived in Madison Square Park. Austrian artist Erwin Redl’s “Whiteout” has haunted the long winter nights since Nov. 16. From a grid of steel cabling and poles hang hundreds of incandescent spheres, each with an LED light, swaying or standing still depending on the weather. The natural movement caused by the elements is contrasted by a kinetic LED display within the orbs. Redl, who lives and works in Ohio and New York City, is the most recent in a long line of artists who have displayed sculpture or visual art in the 6.2-acre Oval Lawn since 2004. A student of electronic music and composition, Redl’s career has been defined by his dazzling displays of electronic light patterns on the walls of buildings and in galleries. Whiteout marks the first time he’s created something for a natural setting. We hope it’s not the last.