NEW YORK, NY — Originally commissioned for the 92nd Street Y, iconic Dan Dailey glass mural Spirit is now installed in the lobby of 270 Madison Avenue in Manhattan. ABS Partners Real Estate president and co-founder Gregg Schenker announced the installation last week, describing the artwork as “absolutely magnificent, depicting scenes of art, music and culture, things that help to make New York City vital, diverse, and the most extraordinary city in the world. We hope that this art will enrich the experience for our tenants, our visitors, and for anybody who sees it.”
Spirit is an internally illuminated cast glass mural that illustrates aspects of high culture in the city of New York. When describing his inspiration, Dailey said, “it expresses the vitality and diversity of many aspects of New York City, which stands unique in character among all other cities. From athletic activities to academic lectures and musical performances, there is a beautiful side of humanity depicted through symbolic icons. Consider the power of this world class city; a city that brings millions of people together through a huge diversity of formats in countless styles, in pursuit of excellence, to express joy and wonder, to educate and recreate.”
270 Madison Avenue is a 19-story office building in the heart of the Grand Central District of Manhattan, located near Bryant Park and all forms of mass transit. Spirit is visible from Madison Avenue, and the fully attended, recently renovated lobby offers 24/7 access. ABS Partners Real Estate curates a growing collection of exceptional art within their properties, in the belief that the transformative power of art and its ability to transcend the space it occupies enriches the experience of tenants and visitors.
Spirit was originally commissioned in 1998 in tribute to Jerome Klorfein (1911-1980) to celebrate the 92nd Street Y, a cultural and community center at the corner of East 92nd Street and Lexington Avenue. Founded in 1874 as the Young Men's Hebrew Association, the 92nd Street Y transformed from a secular social club to a large arts and cultural center during the 20th century.