A large-scale drawing by the eminent American artist Sol LeWitt now adorns a central wall in the lobby of Foster + Partners’ 425 Park Avenue in New York. LeWitt is known for his wall drawings as well as his variations of open cube structures, complex forms, and works on paper.
The original artwork, titled ‘Bars of Color within Squares,’ features geometric configurations, vibrant colours and isometric perspectives that create a sense of volume. At 39 feet tall by 13 feet wide, the piece is visible to all passers-by on Park Avenue.
Foster + Partners worked closely with the developer, L&L Holding Company, and Paula Cooper Gallery to select the artwork. It was handled by dedicated artists and craftspeople from LeWitt’s estate, who adhered strictly to specifications left by the artist prior to his death.
Artwork is an integral part of the new building, which is located alongside Modernist icons such as the Seagram Building, Lever House and the CBS Building. The tower’s Diagrid Club includes an immersive installation by Japanese avant-garde sculptor, painter and novelist, Yayoi Kusama. ‘Narcissus Garden,’ which, consists of more than 400 spheres with highly polished surfaces that present moments of both movement and stillness.
At the base of the tower, a new restaurant named Four Twenty Five will be operated by the world-renowned chef and restaurateur Jean-Georges Vongerichten. When complete, the restaurant’s cocktail lounge will feature a 24-foot painting by celebrated abstract artist Larry Poons, titled ‘Hunch.’
