• Tide and Current Taxi: 2006

MOMO and ZOSEN are graffiti artists.

When MOMO contacted me about taking them somewhere in the boat, I figured that it would involve a large scale act of trespassing and vandalism.

But what they had in mind, was to build something off of a piling at Huron Street pier;

a 25 foot high totem made of lath and paint.

They assembled some of the parts in the parking lot at Huron Street.

We paddled away from the dock; the wings of the bird figure extending far over the back of the boat, touching the water just a bit.

We looked for a place to attach the totem,

but the tide was high and most of the pilings were under water.

Momo chose a piling and began to attatch the legs.

We lifted the figure slowly, using the anchored legs as a fulcrum near the base.

But the top of the sculpture had been hanging in the water for nearly a half hour, and it was much heavier than before.

We had to jettison the bottom half of the totem. You can see it laying in the water here to the left of the pilings, floating off down the East River.

Now she was half as tall, but much easier to lift up standing.

“And just as beautiful.” I said.

Zosen had written “Beuna Suerte” in her wings.

Momo said that when the sun came out, it would light up the gold letters.

Good job.

Now it was almost light,

and we let the boat float away to get a better look.

If you want to take a look at what Momo and Zosen made,

walk down to the end of India Street, where it meets the East River.

You will see two rows of fence there before you get to the water.

Off to the right there is a hole just the size of a person.

You can’t see it really from the street, but just go through the hole and you will find another in the second fence.

And then look straight out across the water.