A Pulitzer Fountain Holiday

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Written By Connor McGaffin
 
 

I worked with The Fifth Avenue Association to outfit the Pulitzer Fountain for the Christmas season. At the corner of Central Park, the Plaza Hotel, and Bergdorf Goodman’s holiday windows, it’s always a hub for holiday foot traffic.

 
 

The physical installation was a scene of polar bears, penguins, and a few escapees from the Central Park Zoo. Animals glided around the fountain on ice skates, sleds, and skateboards. Next to the fountain, two red buttons were held by animals that triggered lighting effects when pressed.

 

QR codes were mounted next to these buttons, which launched a themed photo-op when scanned.

 

I illustrated the selfie frame, which incorporated two of the fountain’s animals skating along the frozen border, with an overlay of animated snowfall. This touch point yielded thousands of impressions over the course of the holiday season.

 
 
 

In the 2021 season, this project went on to win the Windowswear Award for Best Neighborhood Installation.

 
Connor McGaffin
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