reed Krakoff

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“The Walkers” is the second installation in a series of responsive light window installations by Ivan Toth Depeña, in collaboration with Reed Krakoff. Depeña’s display breaks away from traditional visual merchandising and becomes public art that interacts with New York City pedestrians. The site- specific design features a series of florescent light boxes that respond to the physical presence of passers-by through the implementation of a camera tracking mechanism.

“The discourse that’s generated through the creation of public art is a source of great inspiration,” explains the artist who has been working increasingly within the area of public art. “These projects break down boundaries by allowing the public to experience art outside of the fixed paradigm of a gallery or institutional sphere.”

Krakoff, an avid collector of contemporary art and design, collaborated with the artist to actualize a public light display that would also be reflective of how his fashion designs relate to art, both in form and philosophy. The Walkers’ aesthetic was inspired by Krakoff’s minimalist approach and color sensibility. The display was installed on 5 January 5, 2013 and is now on view at 831 Madison Avenue.

[ about ivan toth deepeña ]
Ivan Toth Depeña is an artist and designer living and working in Brooklyn, NY and Miami, Florida. With a Masters Degree in Architecture from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design, Depeña’s output as an artist is informed by his experience in art, architecture, technology and design. Combining many sources of media, technology, form and materials, Depeña seeks to blur boundaries and create projects that exist within a new and amorphous hybrid of various creative disciplines. His studio output includes (and often fuses together) painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, public art, installation and incorporates a hands on methodology combined with high tech output and fabrication.

His recent public art projects and exhibitions include, “Reflect,” a permanent light-based installation for the Stephen Clark Government Center Lobby in Miami, “Aesthetics and Values 2011” at the Frost Museum in Miami, “Miami in Transition” at the Miami Art Museum and various group and solo exhibitions throughout the US. The artist was recently commissioned to design a large-scale, outdoor sculpture for the new Northeast Regional Library in Aventura, Florida. The installation is scheduled for fall 2013. Current projects also include several large-scale private commissions and the preparation of work for upcoming gallery exhibitions.