REACH – New York

In 1995, when as a Research Artist at the Center for Advanced Visual Studies/MIT (“CAVS”), I had been developing a new interactive light/sound idea titled “REACH.” It was composed of photo-sensors placed about 6 feet off the ground, wired to a computer and audio speakers. Based on my initial “Soundstair” idea of “plugging into existing architectural spaces,” this piece was designed for a hallway or place where people walked in a straight line with walls on either side. The idea was that they could raise their arms, umbrellas, newspapers, whatever and “play” the piece as they walked through this zone.

I had initially set it up in the hallway at CAVS to test it out.  All my willing artist comrades creatively played with it. One day, I thought it might work on a subway platform, with the photo-cell beams on either side of the tracks.  This way people could ”play” the instrument together – communicating with one another across the tracks. (I thought about this condition – looking across the tracks at people, them looking back at us, no one acknowledging either’s presence. I thought- “let’s play with this space between strangers.”) 

 Next up, I had read that the Paris Metro had put on some amazing events on their subway; they actually had a division within their government dedicated to organizing such events. I wrote to them about my project, and they responded enthusiastically! “C’est la Vie, mes amis.” We set it up in the St. Augustin Metro for a week.

 Shortly thereafter, the NY MTA put out a call for temporary installations for up to one year. Since I had already done it in Paris (and had photos/video to show), there was no problem convincing the MTA of what it was and how it worked. 

 Only problem was, the budget was minimal.  Fortunately, around that same time, I had been writing music for Estee Lauder’s then new ORIGINS stores, one of the first “all natural” cosmetic product lines.  I pitched the idea to their marketing director to underwrite my installation with “all natural” sounds (birds, frogs, crickets.) Turned out, I had created a solution looking for a problem. ORIGINS needed to advertise their new store at Macy’s right above the 34th St. MTA subway and my “REACH: New York” was the answer!

That was in 1995 and “REACH” has been thriving ever since. (After a year, the MTA invited me to make it permanent.) With 110,000 people a week in the 34th St. subway, it has been a great test of building rugged installations using rugged technology. (Hey, Sinatra- “If I can make it there, I can make it anywhere…”)

We now use two laptops for the project. We switch one out for the other about once a year, primarily due to the steel dust that gets on everything (think steel wheels grinding on steel rails as the trains come to a stop in the station. Don’t breathe.) 

Now that the MTA has installed the internet in all of its major stations, we were able to upgrade “REACH;” allowing us to monitor the system and change up the sounds remotely. This should also help us to know if/when the system is down or in auto-boot mode. But, over the years, “REACH: New York” has gathered some loyal followers. These people keep watch over it for us, and email us if there is an issue or if they are just enjoying themselves, like this one: 

   – “I’ve been enjoying your installation in the NYC subway for years. My favorite part is introducing others to the installation simply by using it – which they will undoubtedly notice because I am too short to wave my hand in front. I have to use my umbrella waving it in the air. People tend to notice that sort of thing.”      – L. Dennett