Fortified was a special weekend event which provided open public access to Fort Totten Battery, in Queens NY.
The weekend only event consisted of a series of art installations and public access tours to highlight the significance of the Fort Totten Battery sites. An open access Installation inside the Water Battery included a series of over-head cords, woven through existing structural passages which were planned but never completed — and created and experiential path for visitors to follow, photograph, and interact with other park-goers. A series of small wall markings will also be integrated into the Water Battery installation to note specific details, variations, or anomalies within the incomplete structure.
“Fort Totten is one of the city’s most spectacular hidden treasures — and Fortified uses art as a tool to provide open access to some of the most historic, fascinating, and beautiful sites in New York!!”
“The installation itself pulls you in, around, and through the incomplete Battery — but has a very light touch to accentuate but not distract from the open access experience”
Additional elements included rare access to the Main Magazine and Endicott Battery sites. A guided theatrical experience (curated by Justin Rivers) within the Main Magazine and behind-the-scenes access tour (led by the Urban Park Rangers) of the Endicott Battery will also be provided — to highlight the truly unique characteristics and historic significance of Fort Totten.
Fortified was created with Justin Rivers — in collaboration with the Landmarks Conservancy, Untapped Cities, and the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation — with support from The Eternal Space, the New York City Park Rangers, and the Bayside Historical Society — Summer 2019.
For more information see project press in Untapped New York.
