Hudson Yards today announced it will host a rare four-day display of Keith Haring’s monumental “CityKids Speak on Liberty” banner on Manhattan’s West Side from Thursday, November 2nd through Sunday, November 5th, offering all New Yorkers an opportunity to publicly view the iconic banner before it is sold privately by Phillips to support the ongoing mission of The CityKids Foundation.
The banner will be hung on the east-facing façade of Fifteen Hudson Yards—the site’s first residential development to be placed on the market—so New Yorkers can easily view the banner from the High Line. Jeff T. Blau, CEO of Related Companies, the developer of Hudson Yards, said, “Hudson Yards is set to become one of the premier hubs for arts and culture in New York City, and I cannot think of a better way to support our local community than partnering with Phillips and The CityKids Foundation to display this incredible work of art by Keith Haring. I encourage all New Yorkers to visit Hudson Yards and the High Line when the banner is on view in November and take part in this historic New York City moment.”
In 1986, the legendary Manhattan-based artist Keith Haring created the 90 foot by 30 foot banner in conjunction with The CityKids Foundation to commemorate the centennial anniversary of the Statue of Liberty’s arrival in the United States. The banner was named “CityKids Speak on Liberty” in recognition of the 1,000 young people from all over New York City who collaborated with Haring by including their thoughts on liberty within the artist’s intricate black pop-art outline of the Statue of Liberty.
Laurie Meadoff, founder of The CityKids Foundation, added, “We were so fortunate to have had the opportunity to work closely with Keith Haring at the very beginning of our organization’s history. The 'CityKids Speak on Liberty' banner has been a treasured part of the foundation for more than three decades of multi-cultural bridge building. We know that Keith's collaboration with and commitment to a thousand young people on 'Liberty' will continue to inspire the public for many years to come.” All proceeds from the sale will benefit The CityKids Foundation and Phillips is working with the organization pro bono, recognizing the importance of their ongoing work within the New York community. In advance of the sale, the banner will be hung at Fifteen Hudson Yards for 4 days, beginning November 2nd.
Edward Dolman, Phillips’ CEO, said, “Keith Haring helped to define American culture in the 1980s and 1990s and this banner is emblematic of the spirit and style with which he has become so closely associated. We are grateful for the participation of Jeff Blau at Related Companies in helping to secure this long-awaited public viewing in New York. And we are honored to work with Laurie Meadoff and The CityKids Foundation in offering this truly unique work of art and helping them continue in their important mission of educating and empowering the youth of New York City.”
About the Banner:
In 1986, over a period of three days at the Jacob Javits Convention Center, celebrities from the art, music and political worlds watched and encouraged as the building-sized nylon banner was created—with Haring orchestrating hundreds of kids at a time adding their own contributions. Especially given its unique birth, the banner is often referred to as one of the most meaningful works of art in the entire Haring oeuvre. The completed banner debuted at Liberty Tower in Battery Park City over the 1986 Fourth of July celebration, and has subsequently been exhibited in Europe and throughout the United States. It was featured as the key image of Paul McCartney’s pre-game show at Super Bowl XXXVI in New Orleans. More recently, it was displayed at the 2016 Democratic National Convention’s Rock the Vote #TruthToPower exhibition.
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About Related: Founded more than 40 years ago, Related Companies is a fully-integrated, highly diversified industry leader with experience in virtually every aspect of development, acquisitions, management, finance, fund management, marketing and sales. The company has $50 billion of real estate assets owned or under development including best-in-class mixed-use, residential, and retail, office, trade show and affordable properties in premier high-barrier-to-entry markets. Headquartered in New York City, Related has offices and major developments in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, South Florida, Washington, D.C., Abu Dhabi, London and Shanghai, and is well-known for having developed the 2.8 million square foot Time Warner Center in New York City and the 72-acre CityPlace in West Palm Beach as well as being a leader in green building. For more information, please visit www.related.com.
About Hudson Yards: Hudson Yards is an entirely new neighborhood on Manhattan’s West Side and comprises more than 18 million square feet of mixed-use development. Developed by Related Companies and Oxford Properties Group, it will include more than 100 shops and restaurants, including New York City’s first Neiman Marcus, signature restaurants and diverse eateries; approximately 4,000 residences; 14-acres of public open space; a new 750-seat public school and an Equinox® branded luxury hotel with more than 200 rooms—all offering unparalleled amenities for residents, employees and guests. Please visit www.HudsonYardsNewYork.com for more information.
About The CityKids Foundation: Founded by Laurie Meadoff in 1985, The CityKids Foundation’s innovative programming and projects have been in the forefront in fields of Positive Youth Development and Social Emotional Learning. Providing opportunities for personal growth, leadership and artistic expression, The CityKids Foundation helps young people channel that growth into substantial social change. The CityKids Foundation empowers young people ages 13 to 22 through arts in education, structured curricula and a variety of performance and leadership programs. The CityKids Foundation has pioneered, maintained and innovated cutting-edge youth development programs, training tens of thousands of young people to turn their pain into purpose and to become leaders and motivated agents of social change. Please visit www.citykids.com for more information.
About Phillips: Phillips is a leading global platform for buying and selling 20th and 21st century art and design. With dedicated expertise in the areas of 20th century and contemporary art, design, photographs, editions, watches and jewelry, Phillips offers professional services and advice on all aspects of collecting. Auctions and exhibitions are held at salerooms in New York, London, Geneva and Hong Kong, while clients are further served through representative offices based throughout Europe, the United States and Asia. Phillips also offers an online auction platform accessible anywhere in the world. In addition to providing selling and buying opportunities through auction, Phillips brokers private sales and offers assistance with appraisals, valuations and other financial services. Visit www.phillips.com for further information.
Related Companies: (212) 801-1000 [email protected]
