Fisher Brothers releases new interactive art at 1345 Ave. of the Americas

New York, NY Fisher Brothers, a fourth-generation real estate company that owns, manages and operates unique spaces across New York City, unveiled a newly installed public art work at 1345 Ave. of the Americas, bringing a large-scale experiential art installation to Midtown Manhattan. The piece is a painted mural entitled “Falcon Dreaming,” conceptualized by Australian born artist Yvette Vexta. Located within the redesigned Fisher Park adjacent to the commercial office tower and the Ziegfeld Ballroom, the 56-foot by 23-foot mural integrates an augmented reality experience that takes viewers on a journey through the five elements - earth, fire, air, water, and the cosmos. 

“We believe in developing creative and inspiring spaces,” said Ken Fisher, partner at Fisher Brothers. “Art plays an important role in activating public spaces and, ultimately, defining neighborhoods. We are proud to partner with Vexta and HEAVY to create this custom augmented reality mural that will add a unique perspective to Midtown Manhattan, and we are excited to bring this new form of immersive art to the city accessible to all.”

The mural, which portrays a multi-colored falcon in flight, is the beginning of a larger story. To bring the iconic mural to life in augmented reality, Vexta partnered with tech art studio HEAVY to produce an immersive, fine art performance that guides audiences on a multi-stage journey through the five elements of earth, air, water, fire, and the cosmos. Viewers can download the app, titled Falcon Dreaming, on their iPhones using free park Wi-Fi to kick off this experience.

The AR experience is designed to function as an extension of the themes in the mural artwork. Part performance and part interactive, the digital component aims to give the viewer a feeling of connection to the natural world, themselves and the people around them. As they hold their phone up to view the mural, viewers are met by their guide, Ra, a character based on the Egyptian sun god and the artistic elements on the wall begin to move as viewed through the camera: the background vibrates and shimmers inwards, the organic matter in the wings animates, a space scene appears, and the falcon emerges as a celestial guide to light your way through the experience woven across the rest of Fisher Park. Each stage of the experience is a stand-alone work of art complete with a dedicated soundtrack created by Australian composer Oli Chang. 

“With Augmented Reality, we evolve the viewer's experience from passive reflection to active participation," said Chris Nunes of HEAVY. "Falcon Dreaming pulls you into an immersive world with a storytelling narrative that engages all your senses, transforming a city plaza into an other-worldly landscape. This is the promise and potential of digital art in the open Metaverse."