Governors Island will be an interactive wonderland this weekend, thanks to Figment, a free annual festival of art, creativity and collaboration.
Unlike at most museums, where touching the art is prohibited, visitors are encouraged to touch or participate in the installations. “There’s not a lot of opportunity to get out and engage and create,” says Figment’s founder, David Koren, who sees the festival as a catalyst for creation. Here are some of the intriguing things — that may have begun as a figment of someone’s imagination — to look for:
Farm to island


The “Oculi” installation is made of repurposed grain silos from Ithaca, NY, which has led Koren to call it “sort of an upstate-downstate story.” The art is designed to warp views of the sky and sunlight. “It’s a bit of an urban post-apocalyptic story coming from upstate,” Koren says.
A big deal


“Natural Plasticity” consists of several 20-foot-tall replicas of plastic bottles, cups and straws situated around the island. It’s intended to encourage participants to consider their own carbon footprints, particularly how they consume and waste plastic.
Hoopla


Imagine a flash mob, with Hula-Hoops: that’s Hoopapalooza. On Saturday afternoon, “flow artists” will let loose a rainbow of hoops in a choreographed performance, full of colorful costumes and glitter. Hula-Hoop amateurs are welcome to join in.
Rainbows
Courtesy of Mosaic ColorfeteMosaic ColorFete, a nature-centric textile collective, uses only repurposed materials to transform part of Governors Island into a mystical and eye-popping oasis of color.
Warper House Music
Suza KanonTrick mirrors, sensory sculpture, live electronic music light shows and a DJ — all from Warper House — await you inside building 408B on the island. This interactive installation just may give you a new sense of what house music can be.
Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., at Governors Island; NewYork.FigmentProject.org



