Errazuriz’s Yawns

Sebastian Errazuriz installed his yawns on dozens of screens in Times Square, coaxing every night a contagion of yawns among the public.

Sebastian Errazuriz, <i>A Pause in the City That Never Sleeps</i>, Times Square, New York

Artist and designer Sebastian Errazuriz has created A Pause in the City That Never Sleeps.

The video consists of a continuous yawn on loop, shown on Times Square’s electronic billboards from 11:57 pm to midnight each night in January. This project is a part of “Midnight Moment”, a monthly presentation by The Times Square Advertising Coalition (TSAC) and Times Square Arts.

The yawning character appears on multiple screens as a bored, omnipresent head looking down at the passing people from between product billboards and advertisements. As yawns are contagious, the masses of people looking up at the screens will inadvertently feel inclined to stop and yawn.

As the yawning masses continue to their different destinations across the city, they will now unconsciously carry with them their contagious message, spreading a scarce and valuable moment of pause throughout the city.

On Saturday, January 17, the final night of the COIL 2015 Festival, there will be a special gathering with the artist at 11:45pm on Duffy Square, inspiring a massive yawn-in.