(AP)
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Many Columbus Day revelers in Manhattan yesterday were left a bit deflated — because the man of honor spent the day holed up in his new penthouse.
Marchers at the annual Columbus Day Parade on Fifth Avenue said it was wrong for the city to allow an abstract art exhibit to put under wraps an iconic statue of the explorer on a day many admirers would want to see it.
“The statue shouldn’t be covered, especially because of today,” said Paul Ostacoli, 61, who voyaged from Flushing to march in the parade. “It’s insulting. He should be where everyone can see him.”
“Whether it’s artistic or not, I think the timing has touched some sensitive chords of Italian-Americans,” state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said of the Columbus Circle exhibit, which wraps a living room setting six flights up around the 13-foot, 120-year-old statue to give viewers an up-close view.
“There is no reason to do what they did,” said an angry Joe Mossa, 51, an active member of Long Branch, NJ’s Amerigo Vespucci Society. “At the very least they should have it back to the original way before today. We have one day a year to celebrate.”
But Mayor Bloomberg, who marched in the parade, saw it differently: “It’s the only time in your life you’ll be able to get close to it.”
Since the exhibit opened Sept. 20, about 20,000 people have made the trek up to Japanese artist Tatzu Nishi’s “Discovering Columbus.” Another 80,000 are slated to see the exhibit before it ends Nov. 18.
Free tickets can be reserved at PublicArtFund.org.
Michael Haberman, 41, of Westchester booked ahead.
“It was awesome,” said Haberman, who brought his 9- and 6-year-old sons. “My son is a big fan of Columbus so he was excited to see the statue up close.”