VANESSA GERMAN AT ROCKEFELLER CENTER
Presented in partnership with Tishman Speyer at Rockefeller Center
Press Release
NEW YORK, NY— Rockefeller Center and Art Production Fund will continue their Art in Focus partnership in 2020, presenting site specific public art in various locations throughout the Rockefeller Center campus.
The 2020 program will launch with a “THE HOLIEST WILDERNESS IS FREEDOM”, a site-specific project by acclaimed visual and performance artist VANESSA GERMAN, which will open to the public on Wednesday, January 15. Using German’s celebrated visual language, the activated spaces will be transformed into visual spectacles offering daily passersby an incredibly unique, memorable, and vibrant experience.
In the vitrines of 45 Rockefeller Plaza, German will create three unique spaces of curiosity, beauty and wonder. In the spirit of the old “cabinets of wonder”, German will craft three unique “power figure” sculptures- each dedicated to a muse of the Human Spirit: Love, Imagination, Beauty and Nature. Using materials such as vinyl, acrylic paint, sequin, textiles, crystals, gems, 14k gold leaf, glass beads and found objects, each individual vitrine will be transformed into an ornate and immersive installation.
Vinyl murals will also be installed throughout the public areas of the concourse and on the plaza featuring German’s imagery. These spaces will include a selection of photographic works of German’s neighbors as “living power figures/superheroes” as well as select images of German’s sculptural works and installations.
“I hope that these activated spaces will offer viewers an experience that is both ecstatic and lush, while simultaneously being contemplative and poetic, invoking the powers of curiosity and memory.” – VANESSA GERMAN, ARTIST
“Building on the success of last year’s public art program, we are thrilled to continue our partnership with Rockefeller Center. Art in Focus brings exceptional contemporary art to the hundreds of thousands of daily passersby at Rockefeller Center. Focusing on the timely topic of personal identity, we look forward to the continuation of this important program with five incredibly strong and unique artists in 2020.” – CASEY FREMONT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ART PRODUCTION FUND
“What makes Art in Focus so special is that we get to showcase new, thought-provoking and often whimsical artistic work throughout a quintessential New York location to a diverse group of New Yorkers who get to experience these installations each day while walking to their office, picking up something to eat, or even heading to the subway,” said EB Kelly, Tishman Speyer Managing Director who oversees Rockefeller Center. “We are proud to partner with Art Production Fund and continue our longstanding commitment to provide public art that presents a wide array of ideas, cultures, and creativity, and is free and accessible to all.”
With special thanks to Fort Gansevoort and Pavel Zoubok Fine Art.
Press
