Antony Nagelmann leads a journey across the Atlantic Ocean in a sailboat and imparts the extreme experiences and emotion faced along the way in The Odyssey, which will be shown on Times Square’s electronic billboards from 11:57 pm to midnight from December 1 to 30.  The footage was shot in Progressive HD taking advantage of the technology that only the signs in Times Square can offer.  This project is a part of Midnight Moment, a monthly presentation by The Times Square Advertising Coalition (TSAC) and Times Square Arts. 

The Odyssey depicts a personal journey taken by the artist across the Atlantic Ocean on the 1929 wooden sailboat The Blue Peter in the winter of 2013-2014. The film explores the meaning of the journey versus the goal through footage gathered by Nagelmann during his 39 days at sea. The Odyssey is divided into three channels to represent separate perspectives throughout the voyage – the preconceived fear and excitement, objective reality, and personal reality of the venture. Viewed simultaneously along with a fourth, immersive audio component, these channels allow the fullness of the transformative journey at sea to wash over viewers in Times Square.

On December 10, Nagelmann will be on site at a gathering that will begin at 11:30 pm on Duffy Square (46th Street and 7th Avenue) and culminate in the 11:57 viewing of the work. 

Artist Antony Nagelmann, said, “While the idea of the journey as goal makes sense philosophically, I wanted to apply this to something real, something more than a meditation or thought. I wanted to feel it- to live it. Crossing an ocean in the winter seemed a good application. I have no intention to relay the notion of a single subjective perspective. Instead, my aim is to provide an explorative documentation of my experience, on several layers, so that the viewers may have their own experience; completely personal to them.”

Tim Tompkins, President of the Times Square Alliance, said, “Across age and art forms, the sea has played a careful role in literal and metaphorical journeys.  Nagelmann’s fusion of nature and technology on the digital screens of Times Square is a striking and profound addition to this heritage.”

Sherry Dobbin, Times Square Arts Director, said, “Nagelmann’s ‘Odyssey' is told across three video channels, each representing a distinct perspective of the journey: preconceived fear and excitement (vertical screens), the objective reality (horizontal screens), and the personal reality (multiple-channel signs). In this way, the artist has enabled the audience to experience and identify with the numerous narratives running through one’s mind while on the course of a transformative journey."

Fred Rosenberg, President of the Times Square Advertising Coalition, said, “The committee unanimously thought that this universal experience of facing the unknown was the perfect selection for December – Nagelmann leads us into the New Year, where we strive to have courage and optimism.”

The following digital screens are participating in the December Midnight Moment:

ABC SuperSign, American Eagle Times Square, Bank of America, Branded Cities 7 Times Square, Branded Cities NASDAQ Tower Times Square, Branded Cities Thomson Reuters, Outfront Media 1515 Broadway/ Viacom North & South, CEMUSA, City Outdoor, Clear Channel Spectacolor HD127/CNN, Clear Channel Spectacolor HD128, Morgan Stanley Lights on Broadway, Sherwood Equities 1 Times Square, Superior Digital Displays Three Times Square #5, Superior Digital Displays Triple Play

About Midnight Moment

Midnight Moment is the largest coordinated effort in history by the sign operators in Times Square to display synchronized, cutting-edge creative content on electronic billboards and newspaper kiosks throughout Times Square every night. The program premiered in May 2012 and is organized and supported by the Times Square Advertising Coalition in partnership with Times Square Arts, the public art program of the Times Square Alliance, with additional partners of participating sign holders and artists.

Each night, Times Square becomes a digital art gallery through dazzling visuals on select billboards and newsstands. Every show begins at 11:57 p.m. with a "countdown" that signals the start of the three minute nightly presentation. Past artists featured in the program include Jesper Just; Shahzia Sikander; Rashaad Newsome; Osgemeos; Eric Dyer; Richard Garet; Andy Warhol; Peggy Ahwesh;  Marco Brambilla; Rafaël Rozendaal; Sebastian Errazuriz; Charles Atlas and Antony; Noah Hutton;  Ryoji Ikeda; Daniel Canogar; Alfredo Jaar; Isaac Julien; Robert Wilson; Tracey Emin; Seoungho Cho; Vicki DaSilva, Surabhi Saraf, and Elly Cho; Erika Janunger; Takeshi Murata; Bel Borba with Burt Sun and André Costantini; Zach Nader; Brian Gonzalez (aka Taxiplasm); Björk; JR; Ryan McGinley; Jack Goldstein; Nature Theater of Oklahoma; Ezra Wube; Laleh Khorramian; Brian Dailey; Leslie Thornton; and Yoko Ono. For more information on past projects, please visit: http://www.timessquarenyc.org/times-square-arts/projects/midnight-moment/index.aspx