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The SoHo Broadway Initiative is excited to announce that the artist selected through the New York City Department of Transportation’s (NYCDOT) Community Commissions program will be Zigi Ben-Haim!
Zigi Ben-Haim is a SoHo based artist who has lived in the neighborhood for more than 40 years. Zigi was born in Baghdad, Iraq and immigrated to Israel when he was 5 years old. In 1970 Zigi graduated from the Institute of Fine Arts and embarked on a solo exhibition to the United States through an American Israel Cultural Foundation scholarship.
Zigi’s multi-cultural background has inspired his artwork through the years. While living in SoHo, Zigi utilized various materials such as discarded papers, ropes, concrete, and branches to inform and express his ideas. In 1982, he joined a National Geographic expedition trip to a rainforest in Costa Rica where he observed ants carrying large leaves to build their nests. This is where he adopted the idea of great disproportion as a metaphor for surviving. Zigi has won numerous awards for his artwork which have been installed in countries such as the United States, Israel, and France.
The New York City Department of Transportation Community Commissions Fall 2016 Open Call, solicited artists to present temporary site-responsive artwork around the City. Within the Open Call, five priority sites, one from each borough, were identified with local partners such as the SoHo Broadway Initiative for artists to respond with colorful and dynamic artwork.
The SoHo Broadway Initiative is thrilled to have Zigi’s sculpture on Broadway starting this summer. Stay connected on social media with DOT Art (www.nyc.gov/dotart) and the SoHo Broadway Initiative for updates during the production process. Below is a rendering of Zigi’s proposed sculpture.
