One of the most spectacular art installations planned for New York, a project known as the 14th Factory, was due to launch later this month at 23 Wall Street, the lavish former HQ of JP Morgan & Company. The seven-storey extravaganza would have featured works by more than 30 artists, but the spectacle never got off the ground because there were “all sorts of hurdles to get the project moving”, says the man behind the venture, Hong Kong-based artist Simon Birch. He raised more than $3m, but stresses that “production costs rose at the last minute which caused delays. The decision to delay wasn't taken lightly.” Birch remains unbowed though, saying: “I'm off to Los Angeles and Hong Kong to look for alternatives and also see if we are able to go ahead in New York at a later date, or in an alternative venue there.” His final thoughts? “The 14th Factory has been an adventure, a journey, so perhaps this is just the part of the story where it's darkest before the dawn.”
