"This started with a vision of going beyond making just a mural. I wanted to make an environment where people could forget they were in the middle of the city - even if only for a minute." ~ Logan Hicks
Taglialatella Galleries is honored to announce the official unveiling of Tunnel Vision by Logan Hicks - the largest stenciled mural in the world.
In the middle of 2020, during the height of the pandemic in New York City, Logan Hicks was commissioned to creatively re-imagine a massive breezeway at the East River Plaza in Harlem. Nearly a year later, Hicks completes his largest work to date - a 19,000 sq. ft installation entitled “Tunnel Vision”. This work consists of a continuous stenciled mural that wraps the inside the towering breezeway, paired with a custom designed sound installation. The mural is set to be certified by Guinness World Records on July 29th, 2021.
Behold layers of stenciled aerosol transforming gray concrete into lush greenery, climbing up each of the thirty-foot walls and pillars, meeting at the ceiling painted in a vibrant, sky-blue gradient. Looking closely, tucked in the green thicket covering the walls are dozens of stenciled birds that live within New York State, while the four-hour looping soundtrack brings them to life - featuring the calls of every bird indigenous to New York.
This experiential piece was inspired by Christian Cooper, the Central Park birdwatcher who was thrust into the spotlight in May of 2020. Cooper shed light on a part of New York that Hicks was unaware of - the birdwatching community. Until that story unfolded across media outlets everywhere, the artist never knew of the Ramble - the birdwatching section of Central Park.
During the pandemic, Hicks visited the area many times and was taken by the symphony of bird chirps and songs that echoed through the treetops. The idyllic utopia of wildlife sits right in the middle of this bustling city.
Recognizing that there is a segment of the population that would not go to Central Park with a pair of binoculars to watch birds, Tunnel Vision is Hicks’ attempt to recreate the feeling of the Central Park Ramble in the language that he understands best - murals.
To grasp the scale of such an endeavor, it’s noteworthy that the artist’s estimate to complete the mural would be one, maybe two months on-site. Braving the unpredictable weather of every season, Hicks has now used over 100 gallons of paint, 500 cans of spray paint, hundreds of stencils, dozens of rolls of Gorilla Tape, and an uncounted number of hours painting – defying expectations - and tedious limitations of the stencil medium - to complete Tunnel Vision.
We invite you to the unveiling on July 29th at 11:30 am at 509 E 117th St in East Harlem. An RSVP-only reception for Hicks will follow that evening at Taglialatella Galleries, from 6 - 9 pm, at 229 10th Ave. in Chelsea. The gallery will display a thematic continuation of Hicks’ nature and bird paintings, as well as videos and imagery showcasing the creation of Tunnel Vision.
Please RSVP to the gallery reception below, or contact Taglialatella Galleries at (212) 367-0881 or email info@djtfa.com for further information about the unveiling at East River Plaza.