Downtown Alliance Installs Richard Pasquarelli’s ‘Hours of the Day’ for Re:Construction Art Program

The Alliance for Downtown New York today announced the installation of “Hours of the Day,” the third of three pieces created by artist Richard Pasquarelli for the organization’s Re:Construction public-art program. The project is being installed at the piazza of the W Hotel New York – Downtown, located at 123 Washington Street at Albany Street.

“Now Lower Manhattan’s 300,000 workers, 55,000 residents and six million annual visitors can enjoy the fantastic work of Richard Pasquarelli as part of our program to recast construction sites as canvases for innovative public art and architecture,” said Elizabeth H. Berger, President of the Downtown Alliance. “Re:Construction is an ongoing opportunity for government, artists, curators, property owners and business people to work together to make something beautiful. It’s a win-win for everyone.”

“We are proud to partner with the Downtown Alliance on the The Re:Construction public-art program, said Sofia Vandaele, General Manager for W New York – Downtown. “Showcasing Richard Pasquarelli’s work at the hotel is a great opportunity for us to bring beauty and whimsy to our guests and the downtown community.”

The Re:Construction public-art program is produced by the Downtown Alliance and funded by a $1.5 million grant from the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation (LMDC). Engaging, thoughtful and whimsical, the temporary artworks create colorful landmarks and brightened streetscapes as they help mitigate the impact of Downtown’s numerous building projects. The program began in 2007 and has produced 17 pieces, nine of which are up for viewing. The curator for the three new installments is BravinLee programs.

“I was inspired by the repetitive pop style of Andy Warhol and Monet's Rouen Cathedral series, exploring architectural structure at multiple times of day,” Pasquarelli said of the latest installation. “I aspire to create a public piece that celebrates the inherent artistic beauty of the urban environment from a fresh perspective while honoring the contributions of these great masters.”
Images of “Hours of the Day” can be viewed at the Downtown Alliance’s Flickr.com page at http://www.flickr.com/photos/downtownny/sets/72157625150794704/ A video about Re:Construction can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1md12D4vNew&feature=email.
With Tuesday’s installation, Pasquarelli’s artistry is now on display at three sites south of Chambers Street. “Restore the View” is located at the site of CUNY’s Fiterman Hall project at Barclay Street, between West Broadway and Greenwich Street, and between Barclay Street and Park Place. And “Secret Gardens” runs along the site of the Chambers Street road reconstruction project from West Street to West Broadway. All of the works will come down when the construction projects are finished.

“The Re:Construction program is great example of what the Lower Manhattan community can accomplish when all parties come together, said David Emil, president of the LMDC. “The LMDC is proud to fund this wonderful work by Richard Pasquarelli and look forward to our continued partnership with the Downtown Alliance.”

Pasquarelli’s paintings have been shown at The Miami Art Museum, The Bronx Museum of the Arts, The Chelsea Museum, Jersey City Museum and the Islip Art Museum. His work recently was acquired by the National September 11 Memorial Museum. He has exhibited in galleries in New York, Norway, Paris, Madrid and Los Angeles, and has work in many corporate, public and private collections throughout the world, including the Library of Congress, Bayerische Landesbank, General Dynamics Inc., the Zabludowicz Collection, MacAndrews and Forbes Holdings, Progressive Insurance, and Misumi Inc. Pasquarelli is preparing a solo exhibition to be shown in early 2011 at Salomon Contemporary in New York.

For information on all Re:Construction projects, including high-resolution photos of installed projects, click here. In addition to “Hours of the Day,” other Re:Construction installations are listed below. Asterisks denote existing pieces:

 Chambers Street: Secret Gardens*
 Fiterman Hall: Restore the View*
 99 Church Street: Walking Men 99*
 56 Leonard Street: Rendering Leonard*
 Hudson River Park: Botanizing the Asphalt*
 50 Trinity Place: Poster Project at 50 Trinity*
 99 Washington Street: Flying Animals*
 East River Waterfront Esplanade, South Street: Fence Embroidery with Embellishment*
 Titanic Park, Fulton and Pearl streets: Water Movements
 West Thames Park, Battery Park City: It Takes Time to Turn a Space Around
 The Fulton Street Transit Center, John Street at Broadway: Best Pedestrian Route
 Fulton Street reconstruction site, between Broadway and Nassau: Fulton Fence
 Fulton Street Transit Center, Broadway between Ann and John streets: Concrete Jungle
 Goldman Sachs headquarters, 200 West Street: Untitled
 AIG building, 175 Water Street: Green Gate, Summer
 Street reconstruction site at Houston and Broadway: Houston Fence
 Louise Nevelson Plaza, Maiden Lane and William Street: Rainbow Conversation