Post Guest Authored By Katie Zinman, Marketing Associate at Lofty
As a New Yorker, you don’t have to visit a museum or gallery to catch a glimpse of a masterpiece. Some of the city’s best works of art can be found outside four-walled establishments in parks and plazas, corporate office buildings and underground tunnels¦. Public art is everywhere; you just need to know where to look! That’s why we’ve teamed up with Lofty, the expert-vetted online marketplace for fine art, antiques, and collectibles. This week, they’re here to help us learn a little bit more about our city’s stunning range of alfresco art. From a Harlem graffiti mural to an underground animation short, here are their top five favorite public art installations:
KEITH HARING, CRACK IS WACK
Image: Keith Haring, Crack Is Wack, 1986, (New York City Parks Department)
Arguably the Big Apple’s most famous mural, Keith Haring’s Crack Is Wack can be found on the wall of a handball court of East 128th Street along Manhattan’s Harlem River Drive. With its thick black outlines, witty tagline, and rounded cartoon-like figures, the graffiti artist’s signature mural was completed in the summer of 1986 as a response to the city’s rampant crack-cocaine epidemic. In 2007, the artist’s estate funded a full restoration of piece and the City’s Parks Department soon followed suit, christening the public playground that houses the mural The Crack is Wack playground. Nearly 25 years have passed since Haring illegally painted the iconic graffiti work, but Crack is Wack‘s legacy perseveres.
Location: Keith Haring’s Crack is Wack can be found on East 128th Street, 2nd Avenue, & Harlem River Drive
JOSE DE CREEFT, ALICE IN WONDERLAND
Image: Jose De Creeft, Alice in Wonderland, 1959 (Trip Advisor)
For the more whimsical folk, we recommend a visit to Jose de Creeft’s classic Alice in Wonderland, an eleven-foot bronze statue located on the north side of Central Park’s Conservatory Water. Commissioned in 1959 by philanthropist George Delacorte, the impressive sculpture features Lewis Carroll’s heroine Alice perched atop a giant mushroom, surrounded by the White Rabbit, the Mad Hatter, and several other zany characters from the tale. Cherished among children and adults alike, this Central Park favorite also includes an inscription in a granite circle that surrounds the piece with a line from Carroll’s renowned, nonsensical poem, The Jabberwocky. Twas brilling, and the slithy toves did gyre and gimble in the wabe!
Location: Jose de Creeft’s Alice in Wonderland can be found on 76th street and 5th Avenue, near Conservatory Lake in Central Park
BILL BRAND, MASSTRANSISCOPE
Image: Bill Brand, Masstransiscope, 1980 (MTA)
If you’re like most New Yorkers, you’ve got your morning commute down to a science: sprint, swipe, stand, sway, squish, and repeat. Let’s face it, commuting can be pretty boring. Unless, of course, you find yourself on the Manhattan Bound B or Q trains departing from DeKalb Avenue. This particular route is home to Bill Brand’s recently restored Masstransiscope, a 300 foot long painting made on reflective material. Modeled after a Zoetrope, a primitive motion picture device, the piece’s 228 hand painted panels are viewed through a series of vertical slits set inside a special enclosure. As subway cars pass by the piece, the panels create an illusion of a flipbook or animation short. So, relax, sit back (that is, if you can find a seat), and enjoy the show!
Location: Bill Brand’s Masstransiscope can be viewed on the Manhattan-bound Q and B trains leaving from Dekalb Avenue
ROBERT INDIANA, LOVE
Image: Robert Indiana, LOVE, 1966-1999 (Morgan Art Foundation, Artist Rights Society, NY)
L-O-V-E is a many splendored thing! Widely reproduced in a variety of formats, Robert Indiana’s famous Pop Art image is a common motif in everything from album covers, to movie sets, to the ever-popular US postage stamp. Located just steps away from MoMA, this particular iteration of Indiana’s iconic design resides at 55th street and 6th avenue in Midtown. So, the next time you find yourself strolling along the Avenue of Americas, you won’t want to miss out on this favorite photo-op (selfie stick optional). Fair warning: Indiana’s LOVE Letters just may cause your heart to flutter.
Location: Robert Indiana’s LOVE can be found at 1359 Avenue of the Americas at 55th Street in Midtown
JEAN DUBUFFET, GROUP OF FOUR TREES
Image: Jean Dubuffet, Group of Four Trees (Groupe de Quatres Arbes), 1972 (PBase / Hubert J. Steed)
A monument to Jean Dubuffet’s signature, childlike style, Group of Four Trees injects a dose of frivolity and fantasy into the staunch world of finance. Commissioned in 1969 by the then chairman of Chase Bank, the massive black-and-white sculpture stands just feet in front of the Chase Manhattan Bank Building in New York’s Financial District. With its shifting planes, irregular surfaces, and bold, graphic style the monumental sculpture stands in stark contrast to the Chase building’s evenly placed windows and clean, modernist aesthetic. One of several public works by Dubuffet to be displayed in New York, Group of Trees is part of the artist’s L’Hourloupe series, a large group of pieces by the artist that are said to have been inspired by an impromptu doodle.
Location: Jean Dubuffet’s Group of Four Trees can be seen at The Chase Manhattan Bank Plaza, off Pine Street, between Nassau and William Streets
Lofty is an expert-reviewed, online marketplace for valuable fine art, antiques and collectibles. Each Lofty item is assessed and valued by Lofty’s carefully selected network of experts, which includes qualified appraisers, current and former auction house specialists, reputable dealers, and other art world professionals with decades of experience evaluating items in their specialties. We believe that buying art and antiques should come with complete peace of mind, and stand behind this commitment with a 5-year Authenticity Guarantee and a 100% Money Back Satisfaction Guarantee within seven days of delivery. Building sustainable, trusting relationships with clients is Lofty’s top priority. Interested in selling your fine art and antiques? Check out Lofty’s Consignment Page or contact (651) 679-6510 to get started!
