“Freedom’s Stand” by Faheem Majeed

As we celebrate Black History Month, we look upon the work of artist, curator, community facilitator, and educator Faheem Majeed,  a modern-day Renaissance Man who creates works of art focused on institutional critique and cultural experiences. Mr. Majeed’s current installation on display at The High Line “Freedom’s Stand” pays homage to Freedom’s Journal, the first Black-owned-and operated newspaper in New York City that was launched in 1827 to counter act existing newspapers at the time that encouraged slavery and attacked African Americans. Drawing inspiration from a range of renowned, community driven work including Chicago’s Wall of Respect and the Community Mural Movement, the artist’s sculpture, modeled after West Mali’s Dogon Tribe granaries, exhibits  a sampling of headlines, photographs, ads, and articles from historical and present day Black newspapers. The monthly changing content educates spectators on vital issues, as Freedom’s Journal educated the Black community hundreds of years ago.

Black in Time

In honor of Black History Month, FIT’s Black Student Union presents an interactive exhibition featuring work by students, faculty, alumni, and invited artists that illustrates the “constant evolution of black art” and educates visitors about black fashion, art, and music, from ancient Egypt to the modern day. The exhibition aims to celebrate the “evolution of black culture by going beyond the narrative of slavery and back to the rich heritage of culture and tradition in Africa and its expansion worldwide.” It showcases a selection of stunning fashion designs, educational exhibits (including one called “Threads of Bondage” that discusses hidden African American contributions to couture), videos, and artwork. We found the exhibit to be highly educational and informative. It is on view through March 8 just down the street from our office at the FIT’s Pomerantz Center’s Art and Design Gallery.

Wynwood Walls

The Wynwood Walls in Miami were originally conceived by the late real estate developer Tony Goldman, who was looking to transform the warehouse district of Wynwood. He came up with a simple idea, he explained at the time: “Wynwood’s large stock of warehouse buildings, all with no windows, would be my giant canvases to bring to them the greatest street art ever seen in one place.” Since their inception in 2009, over fifty artists from sixteen countries have covered over 80,000 square feet of walls. We were able to visit the walls before our return to New York, and were blown away by the talent of the artists. We were lucky enough to see some artists in action as well. As part of the world famous Art Basel show going on this week in Miami Beach, Wynwood Walls invited artists to work on installations live for spectators. As Goldman once said about the walls: “The project has truly evolved into what my friend Jeffrey Deitch calls a ‘Museum of the Streets.’”

ChalkFIT 2019

Fall is a colorful time of the year—you know, the changing leaves and all that—but in our neighborhood we have another reason why this season is always filled with some lovely hues. Every October, illustration students at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) create bold and inventive murals on their building facades on Seventh Avenue and West 27th and 28th Streets. This year, to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the school’s founding, the panels depict ninety historic moments, events, and people from over the last 75 years as well as panels that look forward to the year 2032. Events illustrated include the 1945 V-Day celebrations, the 1956 Elvis performance on the Ed Sullivan show, the 1997 death of iconic rapper The Notorious B.I.G, the 2018 marriage of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, and, looking into the future, the impending destruction and alien invasion of New York City in 2032 (well, we hope this timeline isn’t accurate). We always enjoy seeing the student artists at work and the finished results. Alvin Sumigcay, a senior illustration major at FIT, explained to NY1 they often receive feedback about the artwork from pedestrians: “Someone passed by and said, ‘Oh, I was at that Elvis concert back there.’ So I think nostalgia plus something to look forward to, that’s why we have something for the future as well.”

An Incomplete History of Protest

Constitution III by Mark Bradford

An Incomplete History of Protest, an ongoing exhibition at the Whitney Museum, examines how artists from the 1940s to the present have reacted to and protested the political and social issues of their time. Whether by protesting the Vietnam War or combating the AIDS crisis or fighting for civil rights or representation, the featured artists in the exhibit "see their work as essential to challenging established thought and creating a more equitable culture." Mark Bradford's Constitution III (above) looks at first like an abstract painting, but it contains excerpts from the US Constitution. The text along with the rough surface suggest the founding document is living, "subject to modification and debate." Overall, the exhibit shows how the artists attempted to "play a profound role in transforming their time and shaping the future."

Rose Crystal Tower

We visited world-famous artist Dale Chihuly's exhibition at the Bronx Botanical Gardens last summer and were blown away. So when we saw that he had another glass sculpture in the Union Square Triangle, we had to check it out. The Rose Crystal Tower stands thirty-one-feet tall and is made of Polyvitro crystals and steel. Over his distinguished fifty-year career, Chihuly has become known around the world for his iconic glass sculptures and architectural installations in cities, museums, and gardens. "New York City’s energy, architecture, and rich creative history is formidable and it continues to offer infinite inspiration for artists,” Dale Chihuly says. “I am excited to share my work with the residents and visitors who pass through New York City every year.”

Talking Statues

In 1892, composer Antonín Dvořák came to America to serve as the director of the National Conservatory of Music of America. It was in this country that Dvořák was inspired by African American music and wrote his most well known works, including Symphony in E minor ("From the New World"), the String Quartet in F, and the Cello Concerto. The New York Talking Statues project brings this history to life at the site of the Dvořák statue in Stuyvesant Square Park, near where he lived on East 17th Street. Visitors can scan the QR code near the statue using their smart phone or look up a listed web address to hear a pre-recorded message by an actor portraying the historical figure. Originally started in Copenhagen by documentary filmmaker David Peter Fox, the popular project spread to the cities of Helsinki, London, San Diego, Berlin, and Chicago. The Talking Statues project has recordings for statues in all five boroughs, and aims to "recreate an image of how the city has changed over several centuries and was built not from a single nationality, but from many nations."

#TeamImmigrant

#TEAMIMMIGRANT just before hanging in reception.

We are super excited to welcome new artwork to our reception area. This limited edition print, appropriately titled #TEAMIMMIGRANT, is by the talented artist Donald Robertson and features models holding flags from most, if not all, of the countries around the world. We thought it was entirely appropriate for our office and adds some lovely color. Known as the "fashion world's favorite artist," Robertson hit gold when he started posting his drawings on Instagram under the handle of @drawbertson. His illustrations of such figures as Anna Wintour and Kanye West have won him more than 190,000 followers along with the approval of Beyoncé, who is a fan. The secret to his success? “The whole sleeping thing—I’ve decided to write it off,” he tells Vanity Fair. “There are so many things I want to do. Picasso said he spent his whole life trying to paint like a child. To have these big-kid ideas and not think too much—that’s the best.”

Paparazzi Dogs

After taking a tour of Melbourne, Sydney, Beijing, and Shanghai, the Paparazzi Dogs are in New York City! The dogmen, as they are also called, were created by contemporary artists Gillie and Marc, and are currently “taking photographs” in Greenwich Village, after having visited Brooklyn’s DUMBO. “We’re so excited that our Pap Dogs are in New York!” Gillie says on their website. “They’ve traveled the globe taking photos, and now they’ve arrived at the place that has been photographed more than anywhere else.” The Sydney-based husband and wife duo created the series of four life-sized dog sculptures in 2013 and the dogs quickly created such a buzz that celebrities such as Snoop Dogg came to have their photo taken with the dogmen. Gillie and Marc created the sculptures in hopes of raising awareness about the tragic death of the late Princess Diana, which has been blamed in part on overzealous paparazzi. Although the message behind the sculptures is serious, don’t worry, the dogmen are pretty adorable. And don’t worry: they won’t bite!