A Glorious Mosaic

This afternoon, I had the serendipitous delight of seeing this jubilant, mid-century mosaic mural at the entrance to the former 111 West 40th Street, now known as 5 Bryant Park. The mural—covered over for many years and recently revealed and restored—was created by WPA artist and Cooper Union alumnus, Max Spivak (whose mosaic corner at 104th and Broadway, was already one of my favorite urban details.) At first glance, the mural looks biomorphic, but is actually Spivak’s homage to the tools used by garment workers, who were the building’s original tenants when it opened in 1957.