At Bronx River, An Invitation to Text the Fish

Rachel Waldholz

If you’re near the Bronx River on East Tremont Avenue any time soon, you might want to take a moment to stop and text the fish.

So says Natalie Jeremijenko, a professor of art and computer science at New York University, who has set up an installation in the Bronx River which invites passersby to check in with the area’s “urban nonhumans” – like the alewife herring, blue crabs, and beaver which frequent that stretch of the river.

Her project, officially unveiled last week, consists of eight thin buoys floating in the River across the street from the Bronx River Art Center. Lights at the tip of each buoy change color depending on changing water conditions, and flicker as fish pass beneath the buoys.

“[You’ll] see a fish swimming by as a trail of light,” Jeremijenko said.

There will be “business cards” for various animals posted along the river, so folks on the sidewalk can text, for instance, Jose the Beaver, the first beaver to set up shop in the Bronx River in 250 years (and named after Congressman Jose Serrano). The buoys then text back, letting you know whether the beaver has been by lately, or how the herring are feeling about pollution levels today.

Check out our full article on the installation in the Tremont Tribune for more details.