Figment | Governors Island Blog

Use Kickstarter to Bring Your Project to Governors Island

Posted on April 24, 2013 by sarahpelosidunn

Zachary Landsberg’s Face of Liberty. Image Courtesy Shaun Hoke

We welcome a wide range of projects to Governors Island so we can create unique experiences for our visitors each season. To help expand the projects on Governors Island for the 2013 season and beyond, we have joined forces with Kickstarter! Kickstarter is the world’s largest funding platform for creative projects. Creators who use Kickstarter are able to make their ideas reality, while maintaining complete creative control of their work. We are committed to hosting any project that gets funding and fulfills our permit requirements. For more information on bringing projects to Governors Island and to download permit requirements, visit our website.

Some of our favorite events were brought to Governors Island using Kickstarter. The Face of Liberty, a replica of the Statue of Liberty’s face, built to scale, sinking into the grass at Governors Island was fundraised through Kickstarter. The Face of Liberty was featured on Governors Island as part of the Figment Festival’s Interactive Sculpture Garden in 2012.

Head In the Clouds Construction Day 3. Image courtesy of FIGMENT

This year, STUDIOKCA exceeded their $9,000 Kickstarter goal to raise money for the Head in the Clouds Pavilion that will be featured as part of the FIGMENT Festival this summer on Governors Island. The architectural pavilion will be made from 53,780 recycled and re-purposed plastic bottles—the same number that is thrown away in New York City in one hour.

Filed under: Art on the Island | Tagged: Figment, Head in the Clouds, Kickstarter, sculpture, STUDIOKCA | Leave a Comment »

Finalists for FIGMENT’s Summer ’13 City of Dreams Pavilion

Posted on July 19, 2012 by Andres

FIGMENT Tree-House, Photo Credit: Ronay Menschel

We love us some FIGMENT! The incredible arts organization has been on the island for several years now, and always manages to bring something fresh and innovative. FIGMENT’s mini-golf course, tree-house and awesome sculptures have been huge hits this summer and are crowd favorites! We love watching our visitors have a great time interacting with the incredible pieces of participatory art.

Want a sneak peak at what they have in store for next summer? They are currently hard at work prepping for Summer ’13! They just released renderings of the top 5 finalists for their City of Dreams Pavilion.

One of the designs: “For Rent” by MTWTHFSS, Photo Credit: MTWTHFSS

Check out the rest of the designs at http://bit.ly/NBxNca and let us know which one is your favorite!!

Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: Figment, governors island, public art | Leave a Comment »

FIGMENT Returns to Governors Island

Posted on June 10, 2011 by Elizabeth

Visitors love FIGMENT's artist designed miniature golf course.

FIGMENT, now in its fifth year on Governors Island, returns this weekend with a wide range of participatory arts projects taking place all over the Island.

This year, Figment participants will enjoy favorites from years past as well as surprising new projects like Plastic Fantastic, a 16-foot geodesic dome made from over 6,000 post-consumer water bottles; The Anywhere Organ, a giant, mobile, electronic pipe organ built out of recycled parts from discarded church organs; and Seeing Inside, a puppet theater hidden inside a dress – all in addition to scores of spontaneous performances, art and activities for all ages.

In addition to this weekend’s activities, Figment has three long term exhibitions, including the very popular miniature golf course (with a theme of “Bugs”), an interactive sculpture garden, and the Burple Bup Pavilion.

So come out to the Island anytime today-Sunday to participate, experiment and explore!

Filed under: Art on the Island | Tagged: Figment, Mini golf | 3 Comments »

Wall Street Journal: Those Who Like to Putter Around with Art Give Golf a Shot

Posted on February 24, 2011 by Elizabeth

A young Island visitor enjoys FIGMENT's artist designed miniature golf course

On the front page of yesterday’s Wall Street Journal, Stephanie Simon looked at artists around the country that are designing miniature golf courses.

Governors Island was one of the first public spaces to welcome artist designed miniature golf, with a course by FIGMENT three years ago. Since then, the course has been one of the Island’s most popular activities.

In 2010, visitors enjoyed the "World's Fair" themed course that also featured two of the best holes from 2008 and 2009

The first year’s “City of Dreams” course was well used and loved by visitors. Last year, the holes became even more elaborate and challenging holes with a “World’s Fair” theme and this year, visitors will enjoy a “Bugs and Features” course.

Thousands of visitors have come out to enjoy FIGMENT weekend and the mini golf course in the past few years. This year, FIGMENT weekend is June 10-12 and the miniature golf course will be up all season. So get ready to come out to the Island, grab a club and play a free round of artist designed miniature golf!

Filed under: Media, Uncategorized | Tagged: Figment, Mini golf, Wall Street Journal | Leave a Comment »

Island Archives: A Look at Governors Island’s Picturesque Past

Posted on October 7, 2010 by Claire

Oldies But Goodies

As the 2010 season on Governors Island draws to a close, it is fun to look back at all the events and activities that this summer brought. While on the Island, have you ever paused to wonder how it would have been to spend a day recreating on Governors Island 100 years ago? Despite being a hard working Army headquarters, recreation did occur. Wonder no more, the following illustrates Governors Island’s lengthy history of fun!

Governors Island garden parties then.

1908 Garden Party. All images Courtesy of Library of Congress.

And now.

Garden party at the Polo Classic

Military drills then:

Military Drills on the Parade Grounds

And now.

Drills during Army Heritage Weekend

Fanciful costumes then:

Fun at the garden party, 1908.

And now.

Fun with costumes and hats at Jazz Age Festival

Musical interludes then:

Island concert.

And Now.

Concert during Figment Festival

For all the exciting change on Governors Island, maybe some things remain the same…..

Filed under: Governors Island 101, History, Things people do in parks | Tagged: Figment, governors island, history, play, polo | 2 Comments »

Bring a Piece of the Living Pavilion Back to Your Living Room

Posted on September 27, 2010 by Elizabeth

The Living Pavilion, designed by Ann Ha and Behrang Behin, made its home on the Island's Parade Ground this season. Now you can bring a piece of it home with you (photo from designtrust.blogspot.com)

If you visited Governors Island this season, you likely noticed the Living Pavilion on the Parade Ground. Thousands of people have seen the pavilion, walked through it and watched how it changed over the course of the last four months. Beginning this Saturday, FIGMENT will be disassembling the structure and they are inviting members of the public to take a piece of it home with them.

As they dismantle the pavilion, they will distribute the planted and unplanted dairy crates. This way, you can actually build your own little pavilion at home. Or, you can take home a single crate and enjoy the beautiful green plants and purple Lilirope that are a part of the structure.

FIGMENT will begin disassembling the Living Pavilion this Saturday and will continue on Sunday, October 3. Beginning at 2 PM on Saturday, you can stop by the Parade Ground, lend a hand in taking the pavilion apart, and take some of it home with you!

The Pavilion is the result of an international design competition sponsored by FIGMENT, The Emerging New York Architects Committee of the American Institute of Architects New York Chapter (ENYA), and the Structural Engineers Association of New York (SEAoNY).

Filed under: Announcements | Tagged: Figment, Living Pavilion, Parade Ground | Leave a Comment »

FIGMENT Helps Transforms Governors Island into an Island of Art

Posted on June 16, 2010 by Elizabeth

FIGMENT art installations and performances were all around Governors Island last weekend.

FIGMENT took over Governors Island last weekend, and more than 20,000 visitors came to the Island over the course of the weekend to see all that was going on here.

Art was everywhere — there were performances and bands in Colonels Row, interactive art in Nolan Park for kids and adults of all ages, the Living Pavilion on the Parade Ground and of course artist designed miniature golf and an interactive sculpture garden.

Some of our younger visitors enjoy FIGMENT's artist designed miniature golf course

If you didn’t have a chance to take the free ferry from either Manhattan or Brooklyn this past weekend, don’t despair! You can still enjoy FIGMENT’s 11 hole, artist designed miniature golf course and interactive sculpture garden at Liggett Terrace. Both are up until October so you have plenty more opportunities to experience FIGMENT on the Island.

Filed under: Weekend Report | Tagged: Figment, interactive sculpture garden, miniature golf | 1 Comment »

Governors Island’s 2010 Season Features More Events, Exhibits and Programs Than Ever Before

Posted on April 28, 2010 by Elizabeth

Picnic Point will again be open to visitors and will feature events, exhibitions and outdoor sculpture

Since June 5 will be here before we know it, we posted Governors Island‘s 2010 calendar of events earlier today. This summer will feature more events, programs, performances and exhibits than ever before.

There will be programs, performances and activities for a diverse array of visitors, including musical concerts featuring artists like Roseanne Cash, FIGMENT’s free artist designed miniature golf course for kids and adults, food festivals, and much more. The ferry ride and most activities are free.

The Island will be open every Friday – Sunday from June 5 through October 10.

Visitors can again bike on more than five miles of car-free paths and roadways. They can bring their own bikes or rent one while they are on the Island. Every Friday, bikes are free for up to one hour as a part of Bike and Roll’s™ Free Bike Fridays program.

For the first time, visitors will be able to enjoy programming in the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council’s (LMCC’s) artist studios, which are the newest addition to Governors Island. Currently, nearly 30 visual and performing artists are working on the Island each day. During the public access season, LMCC will schedule a robust series of performances for Island visitors and also open artist studios for visitors to see works in progress. Another new addition to the Island will be Water Taxi Beach’s Backstage Café, which is located in a building adjacent to the Beach and the ferry landing. In addition to Water Taxi Beach, the café will be a new place where visitors can enjoy food and beverages.

Artists from LMCC's artist studio program are busy at work inside Building 110. The studios will be open to the public this summer

Visitors enjoyed a concert at Water Taxi Beach in 2009. The Beach will again feature concerts and programs for visitors

Visitors will also be able to enjoy acres of green spaces. The entire 92 acre Historic District, the 2.2 mile Great Promenade around the Island, and Picnic Point will be open to visitors. At Picnic Point, visitors can use hammocks, Adirondack chairs and swings while also enjoying unparalleled views of the Statue of Liberty and New York Harbor. Visitors can also take a tour of the three acre Added Value sustainable farm there.

The Children’s Museum of the Arts is again providing their Free Island Outpost program to children and families. Every Friday – Sunday from 11 AM to 3 PM, teaching artists will be available in one of the Island’s historic buildings to do hands-on arts programs with children.

These are just a few of the activities and programs that visitors to the Island will be able to enjoy this summer. A full list of programs can be found here, but remember, new events are being added all the time so check back often.

And make sure you mark your calendars for our opening day, June 5. We hope to see you out on the Island.

Filed under: Announcements | Tagged: Added Value, Childrens Museum of the Arts, Figment, governors island, miniature golf, roseanne cash | 4 Comments »

Submissions open for FIGMENT on Governors Island

Posted on February 17, 2010 by Elizabeth

FIGMENT is again coming back to Governors Island this summer. From June 11-13, the Island will be transformed by visual and performing artists, sculpture, music, theatre and much more. If you are an artist and would like to submit a project for this year’s FIGMENT, you can learn more about participating here. All submissions are due by May 1.

An installation on the Island's Parade Ground from FIGMENT 2009

Artists can also still submit ideas for the FIGMENT’s mini golf course and the sculpture garden until March 1.

Filed under: Announcements | Tagged: artists, Figment, governors island art, Mini golf, sculpture | Leave a Comment »

Calling all artists and architects: Help Figment build their City of Dreams on Governors Island

Posted on January 25, 2010 by Elizabeth

Figment is one of Governors Island’s most incredible weekends of the entire public access season. 2010 will mark the fourth year that artists have come to Governors Island to create and display participatory artwork for visitors to experience and enjoy. Since first coming to the Island in 2007, more than 20,000 visitors have taken part in this creative and dynamic event.

One of our visitors enjoys Figment's free mini golf course in 2009 (photo by Marco Repola)

As a part of Figment’s 2010 event, they are calling for proposals for three different and exciting opportunities:

The City of Dreams Pavilion: Figment has teamed up with the Emerging New York Architects Committee at the AIA New York and the Structural Engineers Association of New York (SEAoNY) to sponsor a competition to design and construct an architectural pavilion for the 2010 summer season on Governors Island. The Pavilion will be a gathering place for people to meet, learn about the arts programs on the island, be able to enjoy a planned or impromptu performance or lecture, and experience the interaction of art and the historic context of Governors Island. Architects interested in learning more and submitting a proposal can do so here. The deadline for submission is just two weeks away.

Artist designed mini golf course: Figment is also looking for artists to create a new 18 hole, This year’s theme is World’s Fair, and artists are invited to submit proposals for an individual hole. The free Figment mini golf course has been an enormous success on Governors Island. Visitors of all ages have enjoyed playing the course over the past two years and it continues to be a great attraction and activity for visitors to enjoy.

: Art on the Parade Ground as a part of Figment 2009.

City of Dreams Sculpture Garden: Artists are invited to submit proposals for works to be featured in the garden. The Sculpture Garden was a great addition to the Island last year and visitors enjoyed interacting with the 16 works of art that were featured.

We look forward to welcoming performing artists, visual artists, sculptors, architects and visitors when Figment returns to the Island this June 11-13.

Filed under: Announcements, Art on the Island | Tagged: architecture, art, City of Dreams, Figment, Mini golf, sculpture | 2 Comments »