New Yorkers often forget how colorful, beautiful, and historic the city is. The subway rush and humidity prevent us from noticing all the small details in our daily lives, and we miss out on so much. That’s why Color Factory is here.
After its success in San Francisco, Color Factory opened in New York on August 20 to bring a 20,000 square feet interactive exhibit of 16 installation rooms. Each room features colors, sights, and tastes collected around the city, and artists and cultural institutions tell their unique color stories about the New York experience.
The exhibition will remain open, Thursday to Tuesday, in Soho until the end of September. Tickets are available for purchase now for $38. Here’s a little taste of what you’ll find.
The Color Factory
First, while you’re checking in your belongings at the coat check, look up and admire the heavenly hues or “100 Colors” put together by Tokyo-based French architect Emmanuelle Moureaux.
Head into “Orientation” where My/Mo Mochi Ice Cream and an entertaining instructional film await you.
Here, you can register a QR code so that your photos from each of the 16 photo stations throughout the exhibition can be sent directly to your email.
Make sure to “Pick A Color, Any Flavor” of a macaron before you move on.
Welcome to the “Wall of Buttons.” Grab whichever hue calls your name and pin it to your shirt. (It’ll be of use later!)
Christine Wong Yap’s “Complementary Compliments” allows you to sit in a booth across from your friend or a stranger and exercise creativity, share a compliment, and build a human connection with color. The color of compliments will lead you to a specific pairing of Swedish candy in the next room!
A collaboration between artist Lawkena and musician Abimaro brings “Sing Me High Sing Me Low Bring Me Back Let Me Go.” Pick one of the colorful chimes, and use the mallet to hear the call and response nature of the first and fifth note in a scale.
Afterward, enter an ombre room resembling the sunset over the Hudson River or the sunrise against a skyscraper. Take some time to play with and read each balloon; they’re wishes for the world from the students at 826NYC.
Artist Molly Young created a journey of self-discovery with “Secret Colors,” a live-action flowchart that leads you to your “secret color.” You enter a booth of your color, so be ready for some snaps. Some examples include “Eyes of Tom Cruise” and “Fjabulous Fjord.”
Your secret color will then prompt you with a dance move for the light-up dance floor. If you need a refreshment from all that dancing, grab a cup of raspberry soda.
Next, walk through the Museum’s eclectic collection of rocks, fake puke, and more to arrive at “From Absinth to Zephyr: An Alternative Alphabet to Unusual Colors” by writer Kassia St. Clair. Remember that pin you grabbed at the beginning? You can find the same color in this room and pull it out to discover the cultural movements and physical objects that birthed the specific enigmatic hue.
Andrew Kuo’s interest in statistics, data, and observation inspired “New York State of Mind,” a series of infographic merry-go-rounds. Each pie chart tackles a different topic, and you can hop on for a whirl and photo.
You made it to the final room! Leah Rosenberg designed a massive blue ball pit of 50,000 anti-bacterial balls that’ll make you feel like you’re swimming in the ocean. Not to mention, you get a free cup of blue gelato and your choice of a free gift.
Before you leave, visit the Colorshop curated by Brooklyn-based prop stylist Randi Brookman Harris and grab a free neighborhood map, which has 23 hidden Color Factory surprises throughout Manhattan.
There’s so much to love about New York, including its colors and the Color Factory. We want you to experience this city to its fullest, and that’s why we have beautiful, fully furnished coliving homes in New York.
Sign up for a free tour today.
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We are giving away 2 tickets to one of our Instagram followers for the Color Factory. Full terms and conditions are below:
(1) This contest is sponsored by Common Living, 6 E 43rd Street 18th Floor, NY, NY 10017.
(2) The retail value of the prize is $86.83.
(3) No purchase is necessary.
(4) A purchase does not enhance odds of winning.
(5) Entrants submit their entry by following Common on Instagram and commenting on the designated post with tagging 1 fellow Instagram user. All entrants must follow the account at the time of contest closing to win. Every comment with a separate tagged user counts as one entry per entrant, with a limit of 5 comments (or 5 entries) per person. The sweepstakes opens on August 30 at 3:30PM EST and closes on September 1 at 3:30PM EST.
(6) Winner will receive 2 tickets to The Color Factory. Winner will be able to request a date and time and Common will try to accommodate, but there is no guarantee that there will be tickets available on the requested date or time. Tickets will be emailed to them no later than 12 hours before the start time of the event. Winners are responsible for their own travel and lodging to the event.
(7) Winner will be selected at random, and notified in a tagged comment on the original post by Common. They will also be direct messaged on Instagram up to 3 times. If the winner has not responded to any of the aforementioned attempts to get in contact within 12 hours, another winner will be chosen at random, and the following communications will be repeated.
(8) This contest is not affiliated with The Color Factory.
(9) This contest is not affiliated with Instagram.
(10) This contest is open to all persons age 18 and over within the continental United States, though as designated in term #6, no transportation and no lodging will be provided.
