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VIDEO: Miami's 100-Foot-Long (And Growing) Mechanical Alligator Head

(NPR's Greg Allen tells us more about the art fair underway in Miami that he reported about on Morning Edition. And, he sends along a photo and video of a very big alligator.)

People in Miami are seeing some strange sights this week thanks to Art Basel Miami Beach, one of the nation's largest art fairs.

Hovering over a Miami Beach Hotel, there's a gigantic inflatable art installation — which talks. At one of the satellite art shows, there's a piece featuring a miniature roller coaster. It careens through a landscape of candy and scantily-clad models titled, "Sugar and Gomorrah."

But perhaps the most eye-catching art work is floating off the city in Biscayne Bay: A mechanical alligator head that's nearly 100-feet long.

It's an homage to the artist Christo who, 30 years ago, surrounded 11 islands off Miami with pink polypropylene fabric. The artist behind the Gator in the Bay project, Lloyd Goradesky, says he also wants to draw attention to the Everglades.

If all goes well, in phase 2 of the project, planned for next May's anniversary of the Christo installation, Goradesky and his partners hope to add a 200-foot long body and tail to the gator head.

Greg Allen on 'Morning Edition'

Update at 6:16 p.m. ET. Full Coverage Of Art Basel:

NPR member station WLRN is giving Art Basel full and extended coverage. And it's not just about the art — Basel is one of the biggest art events in the country, so many pieces are about the effect the fair has on Miami.

Among the more tantalizing headlines:

-- " A Male Blogger Considers The Amazingly Awesome Shoes To Be Seen At Art Basel"

-- " So, You Like Space Flight? Naked People? Doggies? Art Basel Has Something For All"

-- " Pre-Art Basel: Overlooked Area Of Downtown Miami Transformed Into Street Art Gallery"

-- " Overtown Participates In Art Basel On A Grand Scale"

Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

As NPR's Miami correspondent, Greg Allen reports on the diverse issues and developments tied to the Southeast. He covers everything from breaking news to economic and political stories to arts and environmental stories. He moved into this role in 2006, after four years as NPR's Midwest correspondent.