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The TV on Typhoid Island

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North Brother Island is 2o acres of overgrown woods floating in New York’s East River, between The Bronx and Riker’s Island. Completely uninhabited and designated as a bird sanctuary, the island nonetheless attracts plenty of curious folks because of its lurid history. Not only home to a juvenile detention facility in the 50’s, and the site of a steamship which sank in 1904 killing 1,000 people, but famously the site of Riverside Hospital. which housed victims of extremely contagious diseases, notably Typhoid Mary herself. The creepy mouldering buildings still stand, begging daring visitors to peek inside.

But this isn’t why I’ve called your attention to the site.

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A kayaker steered his boat close to shore for some pictures, and he came across this: a flickering TV.

“As I paddled around the southern edge something caught my eye… maybe nothing special but to me it stood out as a unique art installation at the edge of the water. It is simply an old television and a chair set up. Were these objects found on the island? Who will get to see this in such a remote location? Who is the artist and what is their message?”

Apparently a grand piano washed ashore recently as well and is now resting under the Brooklyn Bridge and the ever-guerrila-art-concious New Yorkers are wondering if both oddities are the work of a anonymous artist. Or is it the old dude from Poltergeist setting up shop?

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For God’s sake, keep Carol Anne away from the island!