Miguel Arzabe, WEaving NYC and WEaving Queens, 2024, woven acrylic on canvas, Queens Innovation Center, Queens ​

WEaving NYC and WEaving Queens are site-specific artworks by Miguel Arzabe conceived for the new Queens Innovation Center. The large-scale woven paintings feature exuberant colors and bold geometric patterns that combine weaving traditions from around the world, including from the artist’s own Bolivian heritage. Arzabe also incorporated references to the natural, built and cultural environments of New York City. WEaving NYC, spanning the back wall of the lobby and greeting visitors as they enter the building, features abstract allusions to the urban fabric along with recognizable imagery, like the Empire State Building and boomboxes. The second artwork, WEaving Queens, positioned in the first floor corridor and enlivening the cafeterias’ queuing area, shows the energetic, rippling waves of the East River as seen from Queens. 

To create each artwork, Arzabe drew inspiration from iconic masterworks of abstract painting in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, New York. He painted two separate compositions. One was cut into vertical strips; the other was cut into horizontal strips. Arzabe then carefully planned his weaving pattern and hand-wove the slender strips as the warp and weft of his final combined compositions. The artworks celebrate the rich culture and dynamic spirit of Queens, while acknowledging its diverse ties to cultures around the globe. Arzabe states, “The artworks have a bustling energy that mirrors the youthful promise of the school and the city. Like a familiar face in a strange crowd, the pieces welcome students and public alike with colorful woven patterns that allude to the variety of textile traditions around the world.”