Watch Now: Sharif Farrag’s “Gotham Grinders” at Rockefeller Center
A hamster-eye view of Farrag’s interactive project at the Rink at Rockefeller Center, part of the Frieze New York 2024 public program
A hamster-eye view of Farrag’s interactive project at the Rink at Rockefeller Center, part of the Frieze New York 2024 public program
Presented in collaboration with Art Production Fund and Rockefeller Center
Following a first appearance in “Set Seen,” curated by Art Production Fund at Frieze Los Angeles 2024, Sharif Farrag brought his playful interactive public art project to New York for its East Coast debut from May 2–5, 2024.
Free and open to the public, Gotham Grinders: Hamster Wheel (2024) welcomed participants of all ages to the iconic Rink at Rockefeller Center to race R/C cars customized by Farrag and individually fitted with ceramic hamster heads, custom vanity plates and vintage patches specific to New York. Facilitated by a “pit crew” sporting artist-designed suits, the work offers a lighthearted commentary on the hamster wheel of hustle culture.
Farrag has long considered New York, particularly Midtown Manhattan, as a center of business, and sees Rockefeller Center as a symbol of modern life fitting the project’s focus on the pursuit of success, work and wealth. Gotham Grinders: Hamster Wheel, while reflecting on the culture of hard work, also gave participants the opportunity to take control of their racer.
