Background:

Morgan Lewis, listed among the USA’s five premier law firms in practically all disciplines, has offices in major cities throughout the world. The Philadelphia office is the third largest, and occupies an entire 10 story building.

Challenges:

• Seamlessly integrate a fine-quality art collection, acquired over 125 years, into the new offices.
• Commission and integrate new artworks for installation in key corridor spaces on each floor.

Results:

The large, spare space of the main ground-floor lobby has been enhanced by two large-scale artworks. One is an acrylic painting characterized by a feeling of subtle bas-relief. The other (soon to be installed) is a pendant sculpture (shown here off site). It delights the eye by wobbling like an enormous soap bubble in response to the slightest air movement. The scale and quality of these works set the visual tone for the many other artworks installed throughout the building, most notably in the corridor spaces of the office floors and conference-room floors.

The configuration of the corridors presented opportunities to display large artworks at the four corners of the building -- works that would be arrestingly visible from the points of entry from the elevator lobby corridor 25 yards away.
The reception area of the 18th floor conference center (shown below) is grandly elegant, focused on two gilded hand-made paper pieces, flanked by transilluminated displays showcasing hand-blown glass sculptures.

Throughout, we used contemporary artists whose careers are in full stride, but whose prices are still quite reasonable.