Art Lined Hallways get Fresh Paint! New Haven, CT
Challenge
Art is thriving in New Haven. Among the several art galleries, workspaces, and of course the Yale School of Art in the middle of downtown, you can safely say that art in all forms is a part of this community. Most people who are local or visiting make a point to stop at the Yale Art Museum, or its counterpart, Yale British Museum, but in the Edward P. Evans hall of the Yale School of Management, you will find several other unique art displays.
MDF was called in for painting maintenance before the owner of the art collection was coming by to visit. One might be scratching their heads at why a business school needs an art hallway. The idea behind the beautification project came from several different Alumni sharing pieces that inspired them while they were students. Currently, there are two long term displays up, “Calligraphy and the Art of Business” (on loan from The Rockefeller’s) as well as an exhibition from the International Center for Finance’s Collection of Historical Securities. There are also sketches from Sol LeWitt and a collection from Keith Milow. “Calligraphy and the Art of Business” is a collection of works by modern artists collected by Steven and Kimberly Rockefeller, both alumnus of the Yale School of Management. Steven had a successful business career in China after his studies and feels the various works in his collection showcase that business and art function as a benefit both fields. In Chinese Tradition, it is prevalent to give gifts and be social during a business transaction. It shows trust and communication between parties.
The International Center of Finance’s Collection of Historical Securities is a collaborative project in which every document is a contract between a company or a country and an investor. It illustrates that innovation can be tied to special events or periods of history. The display of the contracts themselves is an indication that a contract can change not only the financial world but can have a ripple effect on the community in other ways.
MDF Painting was tasked with painting the existing color while the full collection remained on display. We needed to match the color and sheen of the surrounding walls. The workers on the project put their best effort into investigating where the original paint was purchased, and the store was closed. The name of the exact shade of paint had been forgotten. Plan B was to recreate the shade, a standard procedure that involves taking a chip away from the existing paint job. From there, the sample piece is given to painting experts who use mixing techniques to re-create the same color.
Solution
When mixing new paint based on the sample chip didn’t produce the exact shade to match, the painting team went with the closest shade possible. Benjamin Moore’s Marilyn’s Dress (code# 2125-60) is an extremely light neutral color and perfectly complemented the existing shade while adding some subtle contrast and depth. The laser was used to paint the bottom half in a perfect line across the hallway. Part of being a painter is being creative, which most would say is a given, but another aspect is knowing paint trends. Two-toned walls have been an emerging trend with both interior and exterior paint jobs. This gave the area the painting update it needed, and it’s a beautiful addition to supplement the art surrounding the walls! Yale was happy to show off this colorful section of their business school to the Rockefeller’s and encourages others to stop by!
