September 5, 2019–New York, NY–School of Visual Arts (SVA) in partnership with the Madison Avenue Business Improvement District (BID) is pleased to debut the new 3D design installation, Hemlines from Skylines: Architectural Fashion. Part of “Madison Avenue Salutes Fall Fashion,” and featuring pieces created by students from SVA’s BFA Design and BFA Interior Design programs, Hemlines from Skylines is co-curated by SVA alumnus and 3D Design Chair Kevin O’Callaghan and BFA Interior Design Chair Dr. Carol Bentel. This is the fifth year of SVA’s 3D art installation partnership with the Madison Avenue BID.

Taking through September 15 along the avenue’s premiere shopping corridor, from East 61st to East 79th Streets, Hemlines from Skylines consists of more than 18 sculptures of dresses contained within 8-foot tall glass cases and set along a “runway.” The designs reference costumes worn by attendees of the infamous Beaux-Arts Architects’ ball in 1931, which celebrated the new age of skyscrapers in Manhattan. In what was described as one of the greatest parties of the last century, the ball was known for its members’ elaborate and intricate ensembles inspired by New York’s iconic art deco architecture, such as the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building.

While Hemlines from Skylines draws its inspiration from the art deco era, artists have also incorporated modern-day architectural elements and developments. Each student designed a dress after one iconic New York City skyscraper or institution. The sculptures are organized according to the year of birth of each chosen building, and are made up of materials such as resin, welded steel and aluminum, rope, grouted tiles, wood, light bulbs, stained glass, crystals, flowers and more.

To coincide with the installation, on Thursday, September 5 from 5:00-7:00pm, there will be a guided architectural tour, “High Style & Historic Preservation,” of Madison Avenue’s landmark buildings by John Arbuckle, Assoc. AIA. This event is free and open to the public. For more details, visit madisonavenuebid.org.

“This collaboration with the Madison Avenue BID may be our best yet,” said SVA 3D Design Chair and co-curator Kevin O’Callaghan. “Hemlines from Skylines is a tribute, a thank you, to the concrete and steel beauty we experience everyday as New Yorkers. It is a reminder to stop looking at our phones, and look up. It’s much more interesting. Embrace it!”

“The Madison Avenue BID thanks David Rhodes, President of SVA for our ongoing partnership showcasing the inspired artwork of the College’s 3D Design Department students to the visitors, residents and storeowners of Madison Avenue as we celebrate the fall fashion season,” said Matthew Bauer, President of the Madison Avenue BID. “Thanks to the brilliant stewardship and tutelage of Kevin O’Callaghan and his students, I have heard so many times from our retailers how these pieces enliven our street, and bring moments of delight to the countless individuals who have stopped, smiled (and often taken a selfie) with these imaginative and finely crafted works.”

For all of his 3D projects, O’Callaghan challenges students to push the limits of their imaginations. “If you learn the integrity of materials, you learn what they can and can’t do, and there isn’t any project that you can’t tackle,” he says. O’Callaghan is a 2014 inductee into the Art Directors Hall of Fame and an award-winning set and exhibition designer, known, among other things, for designing the iconic “golden popcorn” statue for the MTV Movie Awards.

School of Visual Arts has been a leader in the education of artists, designers and creative professionals for seven decades. With a faculty of distinguished working professionals, a dynamic curriculum and an emphasis on critical thinking, SVA is a catalyst for innovation and social responsibility. Comprising 6,000 students at its Manhattan campus and 38,000 alumni in 75 countries, SVA also represents one of the most influential artistic communities in the world. For information about the College’s 31 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, visit sva.edu.