75 Artists Transform Notebooks Into Works Of Art At Moleskine Detour New York Exhibition At One World Observatory

An exhibition showcasing Moleskine notebooks that have been transformed into stunning works of art by 75 creative thinkers will be on display at One World Observatory at One World Trade Center in New York from May 13th to May 22nd. Artworks by William Kentridge, Paula Scher, MC Yan, Sigur Rós, Francis Kéré, Joana Vasconcelos, Cristina Lei Rodriguez and more than 20 New York creatives contributed to the exhibition.

Each creator generously donated their notebook to the Moleskine Foundation in support of its mission of "creativity for social change" through programs that unlock creative and critical thinking among youth in schools and communities. Founded in 2006, The Moleskine Foundation collection contains over 1,300 Moleskine notebooks that have been decorated, hacked, sculpted, and reconstructed into artwork.

Taking place at One World Observatory atop One World Trade Center, a symbol of rebirth in the world's creative capital, the Moleskine Detour New York exhibition celebrates how blank pages, traditionally a tool for personal creativity, can become a work of art in themselves, providing powerful moments of both inspiration and introspection for the thousands of visitors who visit the landmark each day. This marks the first time that One World Observatory has hosted an art exhibition as well as the return of Detour to New York.

"The Detour exhibition is a celebration of our universal potential for human genius through the simple and instinctive act of putting hand to paper," says Daniela Riccardi, Moleskine CEO. "We are delighted to bring Detour to New York and to have it showcased at One World Observatory, a perfect location to share inspiration with all its visitors. We hope the exhibition will encourage everyone to tap into the power of their own ideas and creativity."

"One World Observatory is proud to represent New York City, a cultural hub recognized for centuries as a place of creativity and ingenuity," said Delfin Ortiz, Managing Director at One World Observatory. "The Observatory is thrilled to partner with Moleskine and the Moleskine Foundation to celebrate and showcase truly dynamic works of art, and to provide a place for the public to interact with the unique notebooks, among the most stunning backdrop and city views. We invite all who visit to take in these special expressions of artistry from international creators, as well as New Yorkers."

Guided by the question, "Can creativity change the world?", the exhibition is divided into the five themes: Metamorphosis, Memory, Borders, Journey, and Imagination. Each notebook tells a different story, dream project, or distinctive way of being and relating to the world. Highlights include:

• South African multimedia artist William Kentridge gathered scraps from his studio to create "I am still a parable," a book of thinking aloud and testing the relationship between images and text.

• Pentagram designer Giorgia Lupi's painstakingly stitched threads represent each day of her life in the pages of her notebook in her "Book of Life." The result is a visual archive of her memories, from achievements to health scares, and each event that constitutes her identity.

• In "Mapping Contemporary Venice?", architect Francis Kéré - the first African and the first Black person to win the Pritzker Architecture Prize - uses drawings and texts to illustrate the differences between air circulation and heat absorption in Africa and Venice, Italy.

The exhibition also includes notebooks by 18- to 27-year-olds from Africa, Europe, and the United States who have participated in the Moleskine Foundation's AtWork program including several New Yorkers such as Papa Baiden, Ladin Awad, and organizer and curator Dalaeja Foreman, whose artwork evokes the resistance strategies of Black communities and working-class communities of color.

In addition, 10 New York-based artists from the Lower East Side's Harman Projects gallery are featured in the exhibition, including Bryce Wymer, Cait McCormack, and Janice Chang, and 22 others will donate artworks to the Moleskine Foundation Collection. Over the past decade, the gallery has hosted Moleskine Project group shows featuring original sketches, paintings, collages, and other sculptures using the pages of Moleskine notebooks. In June, Harman Projects gallery in the Lower East Side will host a separate exhibition of the artworks of their artists featured in Moleskine Detour New York.

Beginning on May 6th and throughout the Moleskine Detour New York exhibit, Moleskine stores in New York City at Westfield World Trade Center and Rockefeller Center will be raffling tickets to One World Observatory, one per day per store. Additionally, anyone that subscribes to the Moleskine newsletter will be enrolled in the daily raffle.

Complimentary access to the Moleskine Detour New York exhibit is provided with all tickets to One World Observatory, which start at $38.00 at www.oneworldobservatory.com/buy-tickets.

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