Bright Canyon
Times Square Advertising Coalition, Andrew Edlin Gallery, Creative Capital
Chris Doyle transformed the concrete jungle of Times Square into a flourishing canyon landscape for July 2014's Midnight Moment. The artist’s film, titled Bright Canyon, premiered just before midnight on Tuesday, July 1st, and played every night in July, 2014 on Times Square’s electronic billboards.
Bright Canyon reconnected Times Square to the natural world by conceiving the space as a gorge. Referencing the history of Times Square as the confluence of streams, the district’s walls and screens were transformed into a canyon landscape, populated by a series of exuberant local animals. The cliffs were based on photos, drawings, and videos taken in the Palisades along the Hudson River. Most of the animated animals were based on video of animals observed in Central Park. By starting in the sky, descending the cliff, and finally plunging into the river, the motion of the animation unified the variety of screens into a single, immersive environment.
Midnight Moment is a monthly presentation of The Times Square Advertising Coalition (TSAC) and Times Square Arts. The July 2014 Midnight Moment was presented in partnership with Andrew Edlin Gallery.