(New York, NY) April 5, 2012 - The Wicked Witch of the West has been defeated; luckily she left behind her Manolo.  

The irreverent architects at Axis Mundi are proposing a sculpture installation for the Midtown landmark plaza of the Seagram Building.

In a city where space is the hottest commodity, Axis Mundi seeks to revitalize this common area with the sense of glamour inherent to Midtown. Omnia Vanitas, or The Triumph of Thanatos and Narcissus in Oz, is a proposed sculpture of a skeletal foot wedged into a diamond-encrusted Manolo Blahnik sandal – and yes, they bought the sandals.

With inspiration drawing from medieval funerary art to Northern European still-life paintings from the 16th and 17th Century, the proposed sculpture would stand 30’ tall. Vanitas themes in art remind us of the transience of life, playing on the certainty of death and are mainly survived today through sculpture.

Omnia Vanitas, loosely translated to ‘all is vanity’ or ‘everything is meaningless,’ describes the frailty of life and the value of the time we are given. The Seagram Building is viewed as the pinnacle for high-rise modernism, an iconic landmark -- with its remarkable Plaza serving as one of the most popular public/private spaces in New York City.

Manhattan, often revered as the fashion capital of the world, has long embraced the gift of design whether through art, fashion or architecture. The stainless steel sculpture would bring a sense of haute modernity to the otherwise barren space, complimenting Mies’ design. Midtown is home to the city’s most lavish department stores; Omnia Vanitas would be testament to the dead, to the living and to fashion.

Axis Mundi is confident the Plaza guests crave that Manolo Blahnik just as much as Carrie Bradshaw would. 

- Andrew Lovesey

Design Team:
Concept:  John Beckmann
Image: Jessica Marvin

© 2012 Axis Mundi Design LLC