Photos by Daniel Greer, courtesy of Art Production Fund
On view from September 3 - November 7, 2024.
Rockefeller Center and Art Production Fund are pleased to announce a site-specific installation by acclaimed British-American artist Shantell Martin as part of the ongoing Art in Focus free public art program. This comprehensive exhibition celebrates the diversity of Martin’s work while providing an extensive understanding of her practice. Martin’s large-scale wall drawings, which feature spontaneous, free-flowing illustrations that evolve organically, will be on view in public spaces at Rockefeller Center now through November 7.
The lines, shapes and figures Martin creates are an internal dialogue of a shared humanity that she expresses. “The spontaneity is one of the hallmarks that I bring to my practice as there is nothing planned ahead of time, as I flow with the journey that the ink pen takes me. Each time I am as surprised by the outcome as the viewer. This impromptu energy ends up creating a connectedness in search of a better global understanding,” says the artist. While she is best known for this distinctive line drawing, Martin also works across various mediums, including digital art, fashion, and performance. Shantell Martin’s work was first featured at Rockefeller Center as part of the inaugural iteration of The Flag Project, a crowd-sourced art exhibition, in 2020.
At the Rink Level of 45 Rockefeller Plaza, a 125-foot mural display will feature illustrations on vinyl from Martin’s KOOBs series. KOOBs, or books backwards, is a series of illustrative books that feature Martin’s unique fine-line characters. Upstairs, the physical version of Martin’s KOOBs will be presented for viewers inside a vitrine in the lobby of 45 Rockefeller Plaza. These KOOBs are folded in an accordion style and upon unfolding the 7 foot long book, viewers will find the story of an entire world created by Martin herself.
A curated selection of past artworks by the artist will be on view in the lobbies of 10 Rockefeller Plaza, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, and 50 Rockefeller Plaza. Those who work at Rockefeller Center, or any Tishman Speyer property, will be able to see additional pieces at the ZO Clubhouse and Radio Park.
Select spaces will be left blank until Shantell creates a new site specific work, live drawing in her signature style, on September 7th as part of the Art Sundae children’s workshop. Inspired by the artist's practice of "drawing on everything," during the free workshop children will have the opportunity to create their own works of art on recycled bottles and place their work within a larger public art installation.
For Martin, “the act of drawing is essential to our creative nature and I recognize and dare to counter the notion that presents artists as rarified geniuses. Instead, I choose to disrupt this premise by openly revealing the simplicity with which I create, in full view and often with the participation of individuals who come to explore my work as it is being made, always hoping to encourage others to express themselves and return to the artist that is within all of us.”
“This exhibition at Rockefeller Center is such a unique opportunity for visitors to witness the vastness of Martin's multifaceted practice. With the 45 Rock vitrines acting as a key to the styles on view, viewers will make visual connections between Martin’s KOOBs, line drawing, Shantell Sans font, and needlepoint works as they move through the campus." – CASEY FREMONT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ART PRODUCTION FUND
“We are pleased to welcome Shantell Martin as the next creator in the Art in Focus public art series, now in its sixth year. Our partnership with Art Production Fund continues to bring groundbreaking contemporary artists to campus, carrying on the proud Rockefeller Center tradition of bringing free art to New Yorkers.” – EB KELLY, HEAD OF ROCKEFELLER CENTER AND SENIOR MANAGING DIRECTOR AT TISHMAN SPEYER
