The Digit is virtual (augmented-reality) sculpture located in Union Square, NYC that can be viewed with the help of The Digit iPhone application available for free at the App Store.
It is a 70-foot-long chrome finger that looms over unwitting passers-by while reflecting the surrounding architecture. The Digit is a double-sided finger, with a second appendage extending out of where the rest of the hand would be. One fingertip repeatedly 'double-taps' the 30 or so feet-high column of air between itself and the ground, while the other 'swipes'.
Full Description
The Digit is a response to two public art works located in Union Square - the statue of George Washington (the first public sculpture in New York since the statue of King George III) and Metronome - a recent installation about time that occupies 3 building facades just south of the square. Incidentally, Metronome includes an enlarged replica of GW statue's hand (located just above the smoking hole). The Digit follows this trajectory by isolating the index digit of George Washington and appropriating it as an emblem of the digital condition.
Work metadata
- Year Created: 2011
- Submitted to ArtBase: Monday Jun 20th, 2011
- Original Url: http://balasan.net/thedigit
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Work Credits:
- balasan, primary creator
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Artist Statement
Slava Balasan is a musician and visual artist interested in using technology to expose absurd details of our everyday life in a playful, insightful and visually stimulating way.
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