One World Trade Center Reopens With an Epic Mural by José Parlá

Parla's 90-foot mural now sits in the lobby of the newly opened building in Manhattan.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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One World Trade reopened earlier this month, 13 years after the events of Sept. 11, 2001 and close to eight years after construction on the new tower began in 2006. According to The Economist, the building's developers, the Durst Corporation, asked Asher Edelman of Edelman Arts to curate the art that would fill one of the most important buildings in the country. Among the several abstract works is a 90-foot long mural in the main lobby by Brooklyn-based artist José Parlá.

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Titled ONE: Union of the Senses, the mural was painted at Parlá's studio over the course of eight weeks and completed on-site for another two weeks. "It was very important to me that this painting would reflect a massive respect to the situation and event and the families, and a massive respect for the site," Parlá told The Economist. On Instagram he thanked Edelman Arts, the Durst Organization, and everyone else who helped make the project happen, adding "a heartfelt thank you to all the workers at 1 WTC, the engineers, architects, and the security staff. It's been a pleasure working with all of you."

On his job as curator for the One World Trade, Edelman said, "The role of the art is to create life within a building. It’s not just about white marble walls; it’s about spirit and life. From the building’s point of view, it’s about branding, and something that is beyond the simple walls." Other works in the building include paintings and sculptures by Greg Goldberg, Bryan Hunt, Fritz Bultman, and Doug Argue.

[via Economist]

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