The William Vale and Brooklyn Arts Council Select Brooklyn-Based Sculpture Artist as Winner of Lobby Art Commission
Selected By Elite Panel of Brooklyn Art Specialists, Marela Zacarias to Receive $200,000 Commission to Create Oversized Hotel Lobby Sculpture
BROOKLYN, NY. August 27, 2015 - In partnership with Brooklyn Arts Council, The William Vale, Williamsburg's latest hotel, announces that Marela Zacarias, Brooklyn-based sculpture artist, was selected as the winner of a $200,000 lobby art commission. Zacarias received this nomination from a distinguished panel of individuals deeply rooted in the Brooklyn arts community.
“It's a privilege to honor Marela with this commission and we're ecstatic about what's in store for the hotel's lobby,” said Sebastien Maingourd, General Manager of The William Vale. “Her proposal is for an oversized work that will pay homage to the borough and exhibit inspiration from early Native American heritage. We're confident that this piece of work will spark conversation about the community's strong art influence among international tourists and locals alike.”
Marela will create a 25' x 20 x 3' sculptural painting offering multiple visual and historical perspectives for the viewer. The three-dimensional work will resemble the shape of a giant Brooklyn map and scale the hotel lobby walls and ceiling. Comprised of 20 differing segments, the work is influenced by early Native American geometries in relationship to Brooklyn's history, and the work will be seen through Marela's interpretation of abstract shapes and colors. The work will be constructed by Marela, alongside eight other Brooklyn artists, in her studio located in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood.
“This work is dedicated to and influenced by Brooklyn's original inhabitants, specifically the Lenape culture before the Dutch arrived to the island,” said Marela Zacarias. “For this commission, I performed extensive research about Brooklyn's history and the creation of this work is informed and inspired by my process. I knew that it was important to pay tribute to Brooklyn and I'm looking forward to creating a work in a public space that expects a wide-reaching audience.”
Marela's latest project was a direct result of an influential art panel selection. The jurors include James E. Bartlett, the Executive Director of Museum of Contemporary Diasporan African Arts; Deborah Bright, Chair of Fine Art at Pratt; and Catherine J. Morris, Curator for the Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art at the Brooklyn Museum.
“Brooklyn Arts Council is delighted to have been part of the lobby art commission with The William Vale. Through eliciting the participation of some of the artistically adept minds in Brooklyn, we were able to make this one of the most highly anticipated projects in Williamsburg”, says Ella J. Weiss, President of Brooklyn Arts Council. “Marela Zacarias, like so many local artists, represents the ever evolving artistic landscape of Kings County and the growing league of innovators that help keep Brooklyn alive with art.”
The William Vale, set to open in early 2016, will adorn Zacarias' work as the main focal point within the lobby.
Most recently, Marela completed a permanent sculptural installation for the new American Consulate in Monterrey, Mexico. A longtime resident of Brooklyn, Zacarias was born in Mexico City. In 2012 she was the first artist-in-residence at the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies at the University of Connecticut. She is a graduate of Kenyon College and received an MFA in painting from Hunter College. She has taught mural art in Washington, DC, Connecticut and Mexico City.
For more information on The William Vale, visit www.thewilliamvale.com and to learn more about Marela and view her recent work, visit www.marela.org.
About The William Vale
From Riverside Developers, The William Vale will be the latest hotel in Brooklyn's Williamsburg neighborhood when it opens in early 2016 on Wythe Avenue between 12th and 13th Streets. Designed by acclaimed architecture firm Albo Liberis, the 21-story hotel is slated to redefine the Brooklyn skyline with its progressive design. With interiors by Munge Leung, the 183-room development will have a forward looking aesthetic with earth tones and details that pay tribute to Brooklyn. The property will also host a top-tier restaurant and bar, 20,000 square feet of retail space and a 20,000 square-foot outdoor public space with unparalleled views of the Manhattan skyline. For more information, visit www.thewilliamvale.com.
ABOUT BAC
Brooklyn Arts Council (BAC) is the borough's leading nonprofit organization supporting artists and cultural groups in all disciplines. We reach hundreds of thousands of artists and audience members each year through music, dance, film and visual arts programs, web-based directories and communities, arts education, urban folk arts initiatives, grants, training programs and art services.
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Cassandra Small
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