Floating Artwork a “Random” Hit at the Heart of the City

New York City’s iconic triangular Flatiron building, known for its “floating” art pieces, is now the home to artist Rebecca Riley’s “Randomland.” A temporary exhibit, Randomland features collages of maps  painted with viral flash paint, hung from the ceiling in a glass-encased space on the building’s first floor, which create a drifting effect.

Riley, an artist known for creating collage pieces, was challenged by Cherl McGinnis, the art curator at the Flat Iron, to fill the Flat Iron Prow Art Space, located in the lobby of the building.

McGinnis said she wanted an exhibit that encompassed every aspect of the diverse city of New York.

“I wanted something specifically mapped to the city. My feeling was, especially in this time of year we have so many tourists and people from all over the world, and I felt like, when you look at art you find yourself,” she said.

Riley said she wanted to take an interactive approach, where the viewer and the artists can meet and discuss instead of going to an art gallery or a museum.

“This could not happen anywhere else except here. I had to respond to the space around me,” she said. “I cut out all kind of map fragments and put them together, and painted on top of them. And some I didn’t. Some are pieces of water and then basically collage them together. So this is truly an installation. I made the artwork here.”

“Randomland” will be on display until Sept. 20, when it will be taken down and replaced by a new 3-D sculpture.