It’s not where you’d expect a street artist to ply his trade, but painter Skott Marsi is bringing his graphic skills to Madison Square Park-area office buildings — transforming the elevator shafts into works of art.
As part of the renovations to several newly acquired and previously neglected buildings in the Flatiron District, Grant Greenspan, a principal of the Kaufman Organization, hired the artist to make 19 W. 24th St., 13 W. 27th St. and 45 W. 27th St. even more friendly to the tech, advertising, media and Internet (so-called TAMI) tenants that have targeted Midtown South.
[theplatform account=”4uMbOC” media=”media/guid/2389494712/4CF791E4-714F-3F73-0414-44D17FD32632″ player=”mVC7xu4zqUdN” params=”feedParams=byCategories=serieshth”]Greenspan won’t let the art go to waste by leaving it out of sight, however, as specially designed, glass-walled elevators will reveal Marsi’s work as they go through their daily ups and downs.
The fluorescent paint will also stand out as LEDs will light the entire shaft.
Says Greenspan: “Marsi’s work embraces the legacy of the neighborhood, like one of his paintings at 45 W. 27th St. — a portrait of Al Capone — since it’s a nod to the building’s history as the Prohibition Enforcement Headquarters.”
Marsi, a Long Island native, is living in New York while he creates the unusual art. Those who are street art savvy may be familiar with his use of the beloved and stretchable green Gumby in several of his works.
To date, he has been commissioned by renowned pop star Christina Aguilera, and has showcased his art at exhibitions in Dubai, Miami, Beverly Hills and downtown LA.
When complete, the elevator shafts in the three, 12-story buildings will include 70 individual works and certainly make tenants take to staring without taking the stairs.
