Remember the Garment District Alliance ‘Call for Mural Artists’ in June? Well, The Garment District Alliance (GDA) announced today the launch of Inside Out: NY Together, a public art installation that will transform the wall outside the Port Authority Midtown Bus Terminal in the Garment District into a massive, 40-foot gallery featuring the diverse individuals that make up New York City.
Beginning on October 3, New Yorkers passing through the neighborhood can have their portraits taken, which will be printed in real-time and featured outside Port Authority’s iconic, major transportation hub in the heart of Midtown Manhattan. Presented by GDA in collaboration with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ), Inside Out: NY Together will represent how New Yorkers come from all walks of life, and together, make the city one of the greatest in the world.
“As we continue to welcome New Yorkers and visitors back to our city, we are so proud to launchInside Out: NY Together in the Garment District to honor the strength and resiliency of New York City and celebrate the diversity of our communities,” said Barbara A. Blair, president of the Garment District Alliance. “This unique project will shine a spotlight on the amazing, everyday people of the Garment District and our city, who contribute to the iconic character, vibrancy and heartbeat that is felt all over the world. We encourage all to stop by, have your photo taken, and be a part of this truly special initiative.”
The new mural will affix to the Eighth Avenue and 40th Street side of the building. (Above and below).
Over the course of five days, a photo booth truck will be situated on 40th Street between Eighth and Ninth avenues, inviting locals and visitors to have their photo taken. Those being featured and passersby can watch this gallery come to life, as the black and white portraits will be instantly printed onto individual, large-scale posters and adhered to the wall outside the Midtown Bus Terminal. The completed gallery – which is expected to feature more than 1,200 individuals – will be 40 feet high and 600 feet wide.
“Over the years, the Midtown Bus Terminal has featured the work of some of the world’s most dynamic artists, which has helped to revitalize the surrounding area,” said Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole. “As the world’s busiest bus terminal, we are excited about this collaboration with the Garment District Alliance who will bring a new immersive and impactful art experience to commuters, the community, and tourists from around the world.”
Inside Out: NY Together is part of an international initiative created by Parisian artist JR that allows communities to make a public statement by turning their untold stories and what they stand for into a public work of art. Since its launch in 2011, more than 400,000 people in 138 countries have participated in Inside Out group actions.
“We are thrilled to support this new block-long art exhibit enlivening the outside of the Midtown Bus Terminal. We commend the Garment District Alliance and its partners for bringing artistic inspiration to commuters and the surrounding neighborhood,” said Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton. “This outdoor mural will weave inspirational and dynamic public art into the exterior of the bus terminal in cooperation with the local community to dazzle both bus riders and local residents.”
InsideOut: New York Together will begin taking portraits on October 3, 2021, with the Photo Booth Truck on site on 40th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues for five days ~ until October 8th.
The Garment District Alliance (www.garmentdistrictnyc.com) 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.
2021 marks the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s centennial year. The bi-state agency builds, operates, and maintains many of the most important transportation and trade infrastructure assets in the country. Founded in 1921, the agency’s network of aviation, ground, rail, and seaport facilities is among the busiest in the country, supports more than 550,000 regional jobs, and generates more than $23 billion in annual wages and $80 billion in annual economic activity. The Port Authority also owns and manages the 16-acre World Trade Center site, where the 1,776-foot-tall One World Trade Center is now the tallest skyscraper in the Western Hemisphere. The Port Authority receives no tax revenue from either the States of New York or New Jersey or from the City of New York. The agency raises the necessary funds for the improvement, construction or acquisition of its facilities primarily on its own credit. For more information or for updates from the agency’s Now Arriving blog, visit https://www.panynj.gov/blog
While you’re in the Garment District, don’t miss the gigantic Origami-inspired animals on the Broadway Medium, Hacer: Transformation is on view between 36th and 39th Streets through November 23, 2021.