Located between Union Square and Madison Square Park, 915 Broadway is surrounded by a dense high-end residential and office population. The property, owned by ABS Partners Real Estate, features flagship retail space on the ground level and majority tech- and creative-oriented tenants in the office space.
The lobby at 915 Broadway is a perfect canvas for artist Marela Zacarias’ organic, lively works. In this smaller space, the modern art stands out as a thoughtful contrast to the property’s original, detailed façade. The fabric-like softness of the works is juxtaposed against the industrial styling, while at the same time the modern color palate acts as a complement.
Art Assets and Zacarias improvised the placement of each piece to appear in conversation with each other. The conversation is then continued with more artwork placed around the corner at the property’s second entrance, 10 East 21st Street. Altogether, these pieces bring a new dimension to an already redefined address.
Born in Mexico, New York-based artist Marela Zacarias uses her work to react to the history and idiosyncrasies of an environment other than her own. Her art is characterized by an interest in site-specificity, socially committed history, and current events. Works are inspired by the sites for which they are planned, such as Mayan textile colors for an installation in Mexico and a map of Brooklyn for a hotel in the borough.
Working with a labor-intensive process that merges sculpture with painting, Zacarias fabricates forms out of wire screening attached to wooden supports, to which she applies layers of plaster to create undulating forms. Through sanding, polishing, and painting, she creates sculptures with the quality of fabric, filled with movement and expressive quality. She then paints the sculptures with original patterns and geometric abstract shapes that are inspired by her research.
Zacarias received her BA from Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, and her MFA from Hunter College, New York. She has had solo exhibitions at the Brooklyn Museum, Praxis Gallery, and the National Arts Club in NY; and at the Brattleboro Museum, Vermont. She has also exhibited at the British Society of American Art, Y Gallery, Rush Arts Gallery, and El Museo del Barrio. Her murals can be found in Washington DC, Virginia, Connecticut, Ohio, Mexico, and Guatemala. Zacarias was profiled in the Art 21 New York Close Up Series in 2013, 2014, and 2016.