Well, isn't this just typical. New York sees something it likes in LA, takes it, and then acts like it was its thing all along. Friends of the High Line, the nonprofit group that created the wildly popular High Line park on an old elevated rail line, is "in talks" with artist Jeff Koons about bringing in his yet-unrealized sculpture "Train," possibly to the area around Tenth Ave. and Thirtieth St., reports the New York Times. But LACMA totally called dibsies on the piece--a full-size locomotive replica hanging from a crane and belching steam--years ago. It was one of director Michael Govan's first big announcements. LACMA has already done a feasibility study, but doesn't yet have a plan for raising the money to build it (it's estimated to cost about $25 million). Friends of the High Line doesn't exactly have the cash either, but they're hoping "a donor would step forward to sponsor the entire artwork." Rivalry aside, "Train" could be built on both coasts and FotHL cofounder Robert Hammond makes a good point that having twins in LA and New York could actually make this a better piece: "There’s some symmetry in this sort of transcontinental rail idea." And hey, at least we always have our giant rock.
· High Line May Mix Past With Koons’s Vision [NYT, via Curbed NY]
· Dangling Locomotive On Wilshire: Entirely Doable [Curbed LA]
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