New Art Exhibit by Hunter MFA Students Finds Home in Lobby of 5 Bryant Park

Beginning today, June 7, 2017, a new exhibition of paintings and large-scale works on paper will be shown in the lobby of 5 Bryant Park, located on 6th Avenue between 40 and 41st Street – all created by current Hunter College Master of Fine Arts students: Talia Levitt, Madhini Nirmal, Leonard Reibstein, and Andy Van Dinh.

This yearlong installation inaugurates an ongoing partnership between Hunter’s nationally ranked MFA program in Studio Art and Blackstone, owner of the building and of Equity Office, a national leader in property management, real estate development, and construction.

Curated by Hunter College Professor Carrie Moyer in collaboration with José Gonzalez of Gonzalez Architects for Equity Office, this exhibition gives students a prominent space to showcase their work and engage with an audience of thousands every day. The building has a history as a home to art – in 1958, notable mosaic artist Max Spivak completed a mural of quarter million hand-cut tiles for the building’s entrance. Covered for many years and meticulously restored in 2015, the mural will now act as a welcome sign, inviting visitors to the contemporary work inside.  

“We are very grateful to Blackstone and Equity Office for offering their space to some of our very talented graduate students and increasing the visibility of our artists’ work in the heart of Midtown Manhattan,” said Jennifer J. Raab, President of Hunter College.  “We appreciate the commitment Blackstone and Equity Office have shown to future artists offering them exposure while giving their tenants and visitors opportunities to appreciate new art.”

The largest public graduate program in Studio Art in New York, the Hunter College MFA provides exceptional opportunities for students from around the world to develop as artists in an environment that encourages experimentation, production, and critical dialogue. The Hunter College MFA at 5 Bryant Park initiative was spearheaded by Simon Wasserberger, Senior Vice President of Equity Office, and Debi Wisch of the Hunter College Art Advisory Board.