I rode down to Fulton Ferry this afternoon to check out the Telectroscope, a truly inspired art project with a whole Victorian-era steampunk back story: a long-lost tunnel to London, started in the 19th century, has finally been completed, and a viewing device installed so you can look through it and see people on the other side, under Tower Bridge alongside the Thames.
Perhaps it sounds silly; an overblown conceit surrounding something you could do with a couple of webcams. But it’s not; there’s something magical about the story, about the fixed location, about it being public, about looking into the “tunnel” and seeing strangers five thousand miles waving back at you. People make appointments to meet up, or use the handy whiteboards to write messages to each other.
On a Sunday afternoon, the line was too long to wait on, but perhaps I’ll stop by on my next morning ride into Manhattan and see what the lunchtime crowds in London look like. (More photos below the cut.)
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