‘Fancy Animal Carnival’ Debuts on Broadway Pedestrian Plazas in
New York City’s Garment District
NEW YORK – September 20, 2016 – The Garment District Alliance today unveiled Fancy Animal Carnival, 11 large-scale fantastical sculptures created by renowned, highly respected contemporary Taiwanese artist, Hung Yi. The public art installation will captivate New Yorkers and visitors alike with its vibrant, astonishing presence on Broadway in the Garment District.
The sculptures – which were brought to New York City by Emmanuel Fremin Gallery (New York) and InSian Gallery (Taiwan) – occupy the Garment District pedestrian plazas on Broadway from 36th to 41st Streets. The installation is free and will be open to the public through April.
Each of the 11 animal sculptures represents a narrative, expressed through traditional Taiwanese symbols and motifs believed to bring luck. The painted patterns reflect on folk culture and religion, as well as the artist’s personal experiences and observations of people’s everyday lives.
The Fancy Animal Carnival – regarded as one of Hung Yi’s most important exhibitions – is sponsored by Orangenius, InSian Gallery and the Garment District Alliance, and is the latest in the Garment District Art on the Plazas series, which showcases world-class public art installations in the heart of midtown Manhattan. Garment District Art on the Plazas is made possible through Arterventions, part of the New York City Department of Transportation’s (NYC DOT) Art Program. The Garment District Alliance and NYC DOT work closely to coordinate the exhibit and install the pieces, which enhance the public plazas and make them even more welcoming to New Yorkers and visitors alike.
Emmanuel Fremin, Yi’s New York-based gallery representation, says of Yi’s first New York exhibition, “We want the American public to get acquainted with an artist who is so well-known and recognized in Asia. The Garment District’s history with fashion in New York, and his pieces being so lively, colorful and handmade, makes them the perfect works to launch during Fashion Week.”
Friends, fans, neighborhood residents, workers and visitors joined Hung Yi, the Garment District
Alliance, and Orangenius at a special reception celebrating the unveiling.
“Fancy Animal Carnival is a spectacular installation that amazes New Yorkers and visitors alike with its impeccable structure and vibrant coloring,” said Barbara Blair, president of the Garment District Alliance. “Hung Yi is a tremendously talented artist, whose creativity embodies the spirit and character of the Garment District. We are thrilled to showcase this exhibit on the Broadway pedestrian plazas, and I am confident it will be New York City’s hottest public art installation this fall.”
Ou Hsien Cheng, Director of Taipei’s InSian Gallery, said of Yi, “He individually forges steel plates, and adds to their surface a rich palette of painted symbols and forms from Taiwanese folk art and daily life. In this way, Hung Yi transfers the two-dimensional language of painting into three-dimensional sculpture, all with the distinctive quality of Taiwanese culture and his unique style.”
Hung Yi was born in Taichung, Taiwan in 1970. Formerly an owner of nine restaurants, he later
decided to pursue art full time in 2002. His works are inspired by Taiwanese culture and daily life in Taiwan and are often brightly colored, in traditional Taiwanese patterns, with themes of exaggerated humans or animals. Since 2009, Hung Yi and InSian Gallery have exhibited in more than15 cities and 20 public art installation exhibitions, including San Francisco, Tokyo, Beijing, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Hung Yi’s works are also displayed in various locations, including prestigious museums, city halls, airports, theater halls, schools, universities, and shopping malls. His largest museum collection is Fortunate Dragon by San Francisco Asian Art museum.
“With artist Hung Yi’s sculptures, the Garment District Alliance continues its tradition of seeking and installing engaging art in its public spaces,” said the New York City Department of Transportation’s Assistant Commissioner of Urban Design + Art + Wayfinding, Wendy Feuer. “With over 250 temporary projects installed over the last nine years, DOT Art relies on partnerships with organizations like the Alliance to bring high-quality art to the streets of New York.”
The Garment District is home to thousands of people working in the “creative economy,” including fine and performing artists, designers, architects, photographers and more than a hundred theaters, galleries, performance spaces and studios.
Technical Support for this exhibition has been provided by Orangenius, an online platform for the creative community. Through iBeacon technology, Orangenius will be providing passers-by additional information about each sculpture when they are within 30 feet of the piece. To download the Orangenius Passbook app, go HERE:
For more information about this event, please refer to the following links, or contact Kate Flanagan
at kate@orangenius.com:
http://emmanuelfremingallery.
artproxi.orangenius.com
http://www.insiangallery.com/
http://garmentdistrictnyc.com/
Please direct Garment District Alliance media inquiries to Jennifer Passaretti of Marino at 212-402-3492 or JPassaretti@marinopr.com For more information on the Garment District Space for Public Art, please visit http://garmentdistrictnyc.com/
About the Garment District Alliance
The Garment District Alliance (www.garmentdistrictnyc.com), formerly the Fashion Center BID, is a not-for-profit corporation established in 1993 to improve the quality of life and economic vitality of Manhattan’s Garment District. Through programs in the areas of streetscape improvements, sanitation and public safety, marketing and promotions, economic development, and community service, the Garment District Alliance supports the neighborhood’s transformation into a modern, 24/7 destination for dining, nightlife, hotels and unique office space. For more information on the Garment District Alliance’s many art initiatives, please visit http://www.garmentdistrictnyc.
New York City Department of Transportation’s Art Program
Launched in October 2008, the New York City Department of Transportation’s Art Program invigorates the City’s streetscapes with engaging temporary art installations. The Program partners with community-based organizations and artists to present murals, sculptures, projections and performances on plazas, fences, barriers, bridges and sidewalks for up to 11 months. Projects are presented within four program tracks: Arterventions, Barrier Beautification, Community Commissions and Art Display Case. For more information, visit www.nyc.gov/dotart.
