The exhibition is part of the Department of Cultural Affairs’ City Canvas program that turns construction sites into art exhibitions
Zeehan Wazed, A City in Motion, 2023 located at 20 Hallets Point. Photograph by Paul Katcher.
ArtBridge, in partnership with The Durst Organization, is pleased to announce A City in Motion, a public art exhibition and augmented reality (AR) experience created by Astoria-based artist Zeehan Wazed. This 600-foot-long exhibition is installed on the construction fencing of The Durst Organization’s 20 and 30 Halletts Point, where 647 mixed-income apartments, neighborhood-focused retail, and waterfront open space are being developed.
The exhibition is part of City Canvas, an initiative of the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs that transforms the city’s temporary protective structures into platforms for artwork, driven by collaboration between local artists and communities. The mural will be on display for the duration of construction, estimated to be complete in 2025.
While teaching painting classes for children at the NYCHA Astoria Houses’ Hanac Cornerstone Community Center, Zeehan discovered that the Center also offered dance. As an accomplished artist and dancer, Zeehan was inspired to weave the movement of the dance classes into the installation at Halletts Point, making it a dynamic multimedia experience. He took video of the dance classes in front of a green screen, leading to the mural’s silhouettes of dancers which come alive through a digital integration with the Artvive app. Simply download and open the app on your phone, point your camera at the mural, and see it come to life through augmented reality.
“I grew up in Queens. My first exposure to visual art was seeing murals while taking the 7 train. I’m thrilled to introduce this new work at Halletts Point,” said Zeehan Wazed. “Movement is a big inspiration for my work. When I saw the dance classes at the Hanac Cornerstone Community Center, I knew I wanted to incorporate the residents of the neighborhood into this piece so they could see themselves reflected in the art.”
Hear a two-minute interview with Zeehan discussing this artwork:
https://artbridge.storidot.com/#zeehan
“We are thrilled to work with Durst to showcase the brilliant art of Zeehan Wazed, in collaboration with residents of Astoria Houses. ArtBridge’s goal is not only to beautify the City’s 300+ miles of construction fencing — we want to showcase local artists, while exploring and celebrating themes and cultures that are specific to the neighborhood of each exhibition. With Durst’s support, and Zeehan’s community-engaged process, we were able to succeed in this mission,” said Stephen Pierson, Executive Director of ArtBridge.
“At Halletts Point, we are creating meaningful community partnerships along with new housing opportunities and public open space for the neighborhood. Our expressed gratitude goes to ArtBridge, Zeehan Wazed, the Astoria Houses, and the Department of Cultural Affairs for bringing this incredible work to life,” said Jody Durst, President of The Durst Organization.
Halletts Point is a mixed-use, mixed-income development that will have 2,000 residential rental units, undertaken by The Durst Organization in partnership with NYCHA’s Astoria Houses. The first building, 10 Halletts Point, opened in 2019. This past May, The Durst Organization opened 3-24 27th Avenue in Astoria, a fully affordable development with 163 homes and amenities. Positioned next to NYCHA’s Astoria Houses, the new building was developed through a wider partnership between the Halletts Point development and public housing community. The Durst Organization made considerable investments to improve Astoria Houses, including upgrades to the heating plant and public spaces.
The Halletts Point development has brought the first full-service supermarket on the peninsula that provides fresh and healthy food at affordable prices, bringing access to what was historically a food desert. Future work will include connecting the waterfront esplanade that borders the Astoria Houses to new recreational space along the water, creating a seamless and walkable connection between the Astoria Houses and Whitey Ford Field.
Zeehan Wazed, A City in Motion, 2023 located at 30 Hallets Point. Photograph by Paul Katcher.
About ArtBridge
Founded in 2008 by artist and designer Rodney Durso, ArtBridge empowers emerging artists to transform construction sheds and fencing into a canvas for art. ArtBridge works with communities and artists to develop large-scale exhibitions that represent local narratives and cultures. ArtBridge’s exhibitions have provided prominent public exposure for more than 200 artists, and have covered over 50,000 square feet of public space.
About City Canvas
City Canvas allows for the installation of large-scale, temporary artwork on protective construction structures — namely construction fences and sheds — throughout the five boroughs. City Canvas is a collaboration between NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, the Office of the Mayor, and the NYC Department of Buildings designed to improve the city’s visual landscape, while giving artists and organizations opportunities to bring their work to public space.
About Zeehan Wazed
Creating mind-bending work in painting, sculpture, choreography, and creative new media, Bangladeshi American artist Zeehan Wazed explores the relationship between physical and psychological reality today. Wazed immigrated to the United States with his family in 1994 and was raised in Jamaica, Queens. Taking the subway to and from school each day, he received a world-class education in the vibrant underground culture of New York. Between station platforms and train cars Wazed discovered the flourishing subterranean universe of graffiti and street performance. Before even graduating high school, Wazed had quickly become a competitive hip hop dancer, a prolific graffiti artist and a delinquent-darling among NYC’s radical underground community. He has had two major solo exhibitions, including Reality Show, at ABXY Gallery. His work has been featured in publications such as Vice and Hypebeast. He has performed with internationally esteemed modern dance companies including Martha Graham and in Broadway productions like Illuminate. Supported by SAYA as a student, the artist is now actively involved with philanthropy. Wazed has more recently expanded his work beyond the walls of a gallery in painting some of the largest public murals in New York City, featuring a permanent mural at Arthur Ashe Stadium for the US Open, WTC Oculus, and is currently working on installations for Queen Hospital and JFK.
About The Durst Organization
The Durst Organization, founded in 1915 by Joseph and Rose Durst, is the owner, manager, and builder of 13 million square feet of premiere Manhattan office towers and over three million square feet of residential rental properties, with 3,400 rental apartments built and several thousand units in the pipeline. The Durst Organization is recognized as a world leader in the development of high-performance and environmentally advanced commercial and residential buildings where people live, work, and thrive. www.durst.org.
