Special Installation in Times Square Headquarter's Offices, NYC: Ice Cube Night Triptych and Rainbow Trout 2 debut in Times Square Headquarters
Last week, we journeyed to the world headquarters of a major corporation located in Times Square, New York to install four custom paintings on long-term loan. This was a great adventure many months in the making. The goal was to produce works that not only captured the high energy of the workplace but also reflected the philosophy of this dynamic company. The paintings selected by the company were the Ice Cube Night triptych and Rainbow Trout 2.
The first installation location is on a bustling employee floor where a vibrant red bench sits along side a large white wall. This is a high traffic area, and employees frequently sit on the bench. I felt the ice cube symbols would be the perfect selection for this location. I chose bright cadmium red as the color to connect the three pieces. My Ice Cube series represents the courageous process involved in overcoming personal challenges. This theme is especially appropriate for a company devoted to excellence in a rapidly evolving, competitive environment.
Inspired by Mark Rothko’s style of abstract expressionism, the molten gold in the middle of the Ice Cube represents the “fire from within” to overcome a hurdle that thaws the boundaries of the cube. The drips on the canvas symbolize the fragments of the obstacle that remain — the memories they left behind. The gradual melting of the Ice Cube’s structure is achieved through a state of balance and harmony, which is why these shapes are also synonymous with the equality sign.
The company chose Rainbow Trout 2 for an executive floor conference room. Rainbow Trout 2 was inspired by its predecessor, aptly named Rainbow Trout, which was featured at the Yellowstone Art Museum in Billings, Montana, during my most recent solo museum show, Metamorphosis. Rainbow Trout is one of four “trout” paintings that I am honored have been added to the Yellowstone Museum of Art’s permanent collection. This species of trout, which thrives in the cold water rivers of Montana, is a strong, hard-fighting, resilient and adaptive fish whose colors relate beautifully to the soft, moss-green inset conference room wall.
Displaying one’s works in a major corporate headquarters is a precious and special moment for me as an artist, and I am thrilled to be given the opportunity to have my work living within an organization that values honesty, courage and creativity.