The Broken Kilometer

The Broken Kilometer is a permanent art installation created by Walter De Maria inside a street-level storefront in the SoHo neighborhood of New York City.

[1] The rods sit inside a 522.6-square-metre (5,625 sq ft) street-level storefront, and the sculpture is illuminated by metal-halide stadium lights to simulate sunlight.

Dilworth's work according to Max Lakin "encompasses conservation, custodial duties, security, and, in a large way since De Maria’s death in 2013, curation".

[2] Lakin also says that the sculpture "takes on a rhythmic order akin to musicality,"[2] and Dilworth notes "as you pace in front of them they appear to vibrate and dance, like a radiant bed of scrupulous moray eels.

"[5] Positive reviews noted that the piece, as well as The New York Earth Room, was a respite from the city and in contrast to the wildness found on the streets nearby.

The most notable changes include the installation of a bench in the mid 2010s[2] and in 2018 the Dia Art Foundation undertook a $78 million campaign to add to their endowment and renovate all of the spaces it owns, with a new climate control system planned for The Broken Kilometer so it can remain open year-round.