There’s an absolute must-see spot in New York for art lovers that, strangely, not many people know about — The Broken Kilometer.
About the installation
The Broken Kilometer is made up of 500 massive brass rods, each 2 meters long, arranged in five perfectly straight rows. The spacing between them gradually increases, creating a hypnotic perspective effect. The golden surfaces are polished every two years, and after fresh treatment they shine so brightly that they seem to emit light on their own. If you were to place all the rods end to end, they would make exactly one kilometer! That’s where the name comes from.
The work’s author is the legendary minimalist and conceptual artist Walter De Maria. His Earth Room, which you can read about here, was also created by him.
Both works have been in New York since the late 1970s and are curated by the Dia Art Foundation. But The Broken Kilometer remains lesser-known, even among contemporary art fans. Interestingly, the two installations are just a block away from each other, making them perfect for back-to-back visits.
Over the years, the work and the space that houses it have undergone only minor changes — for example, a bench was added in the mid-2010s.
Useful information
Museum website: www.diaart.org
📍 Address: 393 W Broadway
Open Wednesday–Sunday, 12:00–15:00 and 15:30–18:00
Admission: free
We also recommend visiting The New York Earth Room by the same artist along with this gallery.
