Pulp Studio Cultivates a Creative Atmosphere for NYC Public School Students
As the only public art program devoted to schools in the entire nation, Public Art for Public Schools (PAPS) functions as a unit within the New York City School Construction Authority. Founded in 1989, this program oversees the creation of site-specific projects for newly built schools. It also manages the preservation of nearly 2,000 existing artworks in the New York City Department of Education’s collection throughout the five boroughs. PAPS mission is to enrich students’ learning environments by equipping schools with artworks that will elevate the school atmosphere, serve as exceptional educational tools for teachers and ignite imagination and inspiration in students.
Artist Justin Kim created this playful mural for The Alley Pond School, a public school in Bayside, Queens, as a project for the PAPS initiative. The mural’s glass surface beautifully depicts different individuals engaging in various activities such as reading books, playing the violin and shooting basketballs. Creating an uplifting presence in the school, the artwork serves as a constant reminder to the students that they are capable of pursuing whatever they want, anywhere in the world. The school underwent major expansion, adding additional art and music rooms and a science resource room. This artwork also serves as a great promotional piece for these enhancements. In addition, the mural also showcases iconic city landmarks, including the historic Queensboro Bridge, which connects Manhattan and Queens. The bold contrast between the bright orange and vivid blue tones creates a lively and welcoming entryway for students, staff and visitors.
For this project, Pulp Studio supplied seven panels of glass, using 9/16” D2G™ Custom Graphic Tempered Glass measuring 70 3/4” tall to illustrate the graphics. D2G is a direct to glass digitally printed image that uses ceramic inks that are fired onto the surface of the glass. By utilizing D2G with ceramic frit, the vibrant hues in this project will not fade over time. The process for printing on glass is highly complex due to many factors uncommon in conventional printing like transparency or translucency, white ink and size, making it a difficult practice that requires extreme attention to detail. Throughout this process, Pulp was able to exquisitely print the unique, vibrant artwork onto each glass panel.
Pulp Studio has additional projects with PAPS underway, which are scheduled to be completed later this year.
Other Partners:
Commissioner: NYC Department of Education, NYC School Construction Authority Public Art for Public Schools program, in collaboration with NYC Department of Cultural Affairs Percent for Art program
Artist: Justin Kim
P.S. 46 Addition, Queens
Collection of the NYC Department of Education, Public Art for Public Schools
Photographer: Arturo Sanchez
Click here to download the case study and high-res images.
About Pulp Studio
Founded in 1996, Pulp Studio passionately advocates for the creative use of glass as a building element. From the beginning, the brand’s defining mission is to fill the void in the market for innovative uses of glass in interior and façade projects. Pulp Studio combines technical prowess with design sensibility; creating products that reside at the intersection of fashion and function.
Pulp Studio employs craftspeople, artists, scientists, and inventors who view working with glass as an artistic endeavor – their medium being glass. The company’s capabilities include bending, hand-color coating, laser etching, glass carving, screen print imaging, drilling, notching, and a patented system for uniformly illuminating panels using high-intensity LEDs. Every project is another opportunity for Pulp Studio to further enrich the idea of “custom” by delivering products that are superior in design and functionality. One of the company’s insulated glass products, Ombra™ achieves a solar heat gain coefficient superior to that of other insulated glass units, dramatically reducing climate control requirements and providing significant energy savings over the life of a building.
Working in collaboration with architects and design studios, Pulp Studio’s products have been used in numerous high-profile projects including: Moynihan Station, New York, N.Y., the Space Needle in Seattle, W.A., David Geffen Hall at the Lincoln Center in New York, N.Y., the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, C.A., Wilshire Grand in downtown Los Angeles, C.A. and the Gores Group Headquarters in Beverly Hills, C.A.
For more information, visit www.pulpstudio.com
