Everyone’s a winner at Throwell’s “Midtown Games” (photo by Adam Reign)
I ran to Times Square yesterday morning to catch a glimpse of artist Zefrey Throwell’s latest incarnation of his performance series, Midtown Games, but a missed subway connection which delayed my arrival a few minutes making me late to witness the artistic/athletic spectacle.
Throwell is best remembered by Hyperallergic readers for his “Ocularpation: Wall Street” in early August that involved 50 people getting nude in Manhattan’s financial district as a symbolic questioning of the opaque world of finance and banking.
Midtown Games athletes go for the gold (photo by Hal Horowitz) (click to enlarge)
Luckily, I tracked down Throwell afterwards who spoke to me about what the hell the Midtown Games are all about? And provided me with images of today’s thrilling good time.
“In the heart of the midtown, the most avoided and despised neighborhood in all of Manhattan, at the confluence of massive tourism and corporate business, the Midtown Games were born as a way for New Yorkers to reclaim their city in the spirit friendly competition,” he said.
“In the third Midtown Games, a 250 Meter Relay Race, 100 runners took back all of Times Square. Starting at 42nd and stretching up to 47th street they created a platform for the revival of lighthearted community in the face of omnipresent commerce and advertising.”
Throwell’s past Midtown Games events have included 50m freestyle and a 100m dash.
Zefrey Throwell’s “Midtown Games” took place September 29 at 10am EST on Seventh Avenue between 42nd and 47th Streets.
Photos courtesy Adam Reign (www.adamreign.com) and Hal Horowitz (www.halhorowitz.com)
