October 12, 2020

Text: Colleen Curry

NYCxDESIGN’s Poster Campaign Helps to Re-energize New York City

It turns up at some point during time spent in the five boroughs. The late Milton Glaser’s heart-symbol version of the official state slogan: “I Love New York.” Created in 1976, the iconic graphic delights and inspires to this day. With a similar goal in mind, NYCxDESIGN, the annual festival operated by SANDOW, in partnership with the New York City Economic Development Corporation, launched “An Ode to NYC,” a poster campaign that debuted digitally in June, a month after the event—a series of trade shows, exhibitions, panels, and parties—
normally takes place (but, of course, didn’t this year). The campaign returns this fall, but this time in three dimensions, citywide, prompted by the need to uplift in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We see it as a meaningful and important theme of our current times,” NYCxDESIGN program
director Valerie Hoffman says.

Kelly Marshall, untitled. Image courtesy of NYCXDESIGN.

For the physical iteration, she and her team enlisted the creativity of 18 designers, some of whom are representing partner organizations ICFF, WantedDesign, Design Pavilion, and the Female Design Council. For most of October, their 18-by-24-inch
posters will be displayed all around Manhattan and beyond, from the New York Design Center in Murray Hill and Artistic Tile showroom in the Flatiron District to digital locations inside the Oculus in FiDi and aboard the NYC Ferry. The designs can also be purchased at the Poster House in Chelsea, with proceeds benefitting the Black Artists + Designers Guild.

Suzanne Tick, InSight from Above. Image courtesy of NYCXDESIGN.
Carol Bentel, on behalf of ICFF, New York Style. Image courtesy of NYCXDESIGN.
Sara Bengur with Véronique Gambier, Home is Where the Heart Is. Image courtesy of NYCXDESIGN.
Alison Rose, Euclid Takes the E Train. Image courtesy of NYCXDESIGN.
Lori Weitzner, New York: In Full Color. Image courtesy of NYCXDESIGN.
Giona Maiarelli, on behalf of Design Pavilion, New York Forever. Image courtesy of NYCXDESIGN.
Leyden Lewis, The Black Heart Thrives. Image courtesy of NYCXDESIGN.
Harry Allen, on be­half of Design Pavilion, untitled. Image courtesy of NYCXDESIGN.
Lora Appleton, on be­half of the Female Design Council, Womxn In Design. Image courtesy of NYCXDESIGN.

Editors’ note: This section has been added in recognition of event partners.

The program is supported by dozens of showrooms across the city. Posters are showcased at Verellen Atelier, Hamilton Sinkler, Circa Lighting, Room & Board, New York Design Center, Samuel & Sons, Brown Jordan, Sherle Wagner, Gaggenau Design Studio at A&D, Cancos, Forty-One Madison, Bard, Waterstone Co, Artemide, and Marvin at Window-Fix. The works are also on view at The Shade Store in Midtown East, Flatiron, and SoHo—employees will be sporting An Ode to NYC t-shirts throughout the month of October to show additional support. Caesarstone has committed to displaying posters in seven of its locations: Studium, Cesar NYC Kitchens, Manhattan Center for Kitchen and Bath, Bilotta, NY LOFT, Urban Homes, and AF New York. Meanwhile, David Sutherland Showroom will showcase posters at both its NYDC and D&D locations—Timothy Corrigan designed a poster in collaboration with its Perennial Fabrics brand. Similarly, Artistic Tile‘s Flagship and A&D outposts will serve as viewing spots—designer Alison Rose‘s An Ode To NYC poster was inspired by her tile collection for the brand. Waterworks‘ Midtown East and Flatiron spaces will also feature the posters. Each participating showroom will exhibit three from the collection.

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