The Broken Kilometer
Neighborhood: SoHo
Type of Place: Arts
Description:
In 1979 sculptor Walter De Maria installed a kilometer's worth of solid brass rods onto the floor of 393 West Broadway in SoHo. At the time, artists from all over the city flocked to this district to live and work. So, with rents cheap and galleries abundant, De Maria found the perfect home for his Broken Kilometer. By the 1990s, however, most of the galleries moved on into Chelsea and were replaced with trendy designer boutiques and overly priced restaurants. This one remained. And, unlike everything else that occupies this street today, it's one of the few attractions free of charge for the public to enjoy.
The design of The Broken Kilometer is peculiar. Basically it's 500 rods placed into five rows of 100. The entire kilometer weighs over 18 tons and measures 45 feet wide by 125 feet long. Natural light fills the space and reflects onto the brass, creating a golden aura around the room and a relaxed and peaceful vibe. People come in, sit for a while, and leave. It's sort of like being in church, except there's no order of service to follow. Your mind is free to wander. One more thing, the rods are not interactive, so as tempted as you may be, you can't walk or roll around on top of them pretending to be Paul Bunyan in a logging competition.
The Broken Kilometer really is a shout out to the SoHo of old, a little piece of nostalgic bohemia surrounded by the archetypical example of inner-city gentrification. I'm really glad it's still here, all 3,280 feet of it.
Visit the Dia Art Foundation at diaart.org to learn more about other works around the city including The New York Earth Room.
The Broken Kilometer
393 West Broadway
New York, NY 10012
(212) 989 5566
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