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Artist Streams NYC Knicks Championship Parade via Traffic Cameras After DOT Approval
Artist Morry Kolman is livestreaming the New York Knicks' championship parade through NYC traffic cameras via his GardenCam project. The New York City Department of Transportation has approved the project, marking a reversal from a 2024 cease-and-desist letter against Kolman's earlier Traffic Cam Photobooth artwork.
Quick Facts
Who
Morry Kolman (artist)
What
First Knicks NBA championship in 53 years
When
Thursday morning (parade date)
Where
Lower Manhattan
- First Knicks NBA championship in 53 years
- Ticker-tape parade through lower Manhattan
- Livestreaming of traffic camera feeds along parade route
- GardenCam project documentation during finals series
- NYC DOT approval of GardenCam project
For the first time in 53 years, New York Knicks fans are celebrating the team's NBA championship victory with a parade through lower Manhattan on Thursday morning. Artist Morry Kolman is livestreaming feeds from multiple traffic cameras positioned along the parade route and surrounding City Hall, offering viewers who cannot attend in person an alternative way to witness the celebrations.
Kolman's project, GardenCam, began during the Knicks' playoff run against the San Antonio Spurs. After the team's game 2 victory, Kolman sought to capture what he described as the "bigger energy rippling through the city" by pulling traffic camera footage from around Madison Square Garden, where fans had gathered to watch games. The project expanded as Kolman, a native New Yorker, documented street celebrations throughout the finals series. Describing his artistic practice as "high-effort shitposting," Kolman was interested in providing fans with alternative angles of the community experience beyond personal videos and social media posts.
During game 3 coverage—which ended in an unexpected Knicks loss—the project took on an unintended dimension. President Donald Trump's attendance at the game prompted increased surveillance and security measures around the arena. Rather than showcasing celebrations, Kolman noted that the traffic cameras revealed "the live imposition of a perimeter and police state around midtown." This observation added a layer of commentary on urban surveillance to what began as a celebratory documentation project.
GardenCam represents a notable shift in the New York City Department of Transportation's stance toward Kolman's work. In 2024, his Traffic Cam Photobooth project—which allowed people to take selfies using NYC's traffic camera network—prompted a cease-and-desist letter from the NYC DOT, which argued the project "encourages and promotes the unauthorized use" of city cameras and posed safety risks. Kolman responded by photographing the cease-and-desist letter with a traffic camera and later exhibited the work at Art Basel Miami.
For the championship parade, the NYC DOT has reversed course. A spokesperson told WIRED the agency "has no objection to the GardenCam project," though did not provide further explanation. Kolman characterized the agency's approval as a sign they have "learned to let me have my fun." The city has implemented street and subway closures for the parade, and prohibited bicycles and scooters, measures that may have addressed the DOT's earlier safety concerns.
Why This Matters
This story illustrates a pivotal shift in how cities engage with artists who repurpose public infrastructure for cultural commentary. Kolman's evolution from facing legal obstacles to receiving DOT approval demonstrates growing institutional recognition of artistic expression as legitimate civic engagement. For audiences, the livestream provides unprecedented access to a historic moment—the Knicks' first championship parade in 53 years—while simultaneously raising important questions about surveillance, public space, and the boundaries between authorized and unauthorized use of city systems. The reversal signals that government agencies may be learning to distinguish between genuine safety risks and creative interventions that enhance public experience.
Timeline & Sources
Jan 1, 2024
WireMorry Kolman creates Traffic Cam Photobooth project using NYC traffic cameras; receives cease-and-desist from NYC DOT