Marco Gallotta’s “Urban Nature” pays homage to the communities, architectural landmarks, and natural landscapes that make up the Corona, Queens neighborhood. The area surrounding 111 St   station is known for its cultural diversity and the vibrant businesses that line Roosevelt Avenue. Less than half a mile away is Flushing Meadows Corona Park, which served as the location for the 1939-40 and 1964-65 World’s Fairs. In addition to its historical significance, the park is also a site of relaxation and exploration for thousands of New Yorkers and tourists. Fabricated by UAP, the artwork realizes Gallotta’s intricate paper cut style as six full-height, painted aluminum panels. The imagery celebrates the union of natural and urban elements that can be found near the station in Flushing Meadows Corona Park.

Set within the elevated station’s platform windscreen, the artwork on the Manhattan-bound platform includes the iconic Unisphere, the sculpture Rocket Thrower in the park’s Hall of Astronauts area, and the familiar twin circular platforms of the New York State Pavilion from the 1964-65 World’s Fair. On the Queens-bound platform, Gallotta highlights another circular structure from the New York State Pavilion, the New York Hall of Science, and the Queens Theatre. He envelopes each of these popular buildings and monuments within a lush lattice of flora and fauna, evoking the park’s plentiful foliage and active animal life. As sunlight shifts throughout the day, the panels offer changing visual perspectives for riders moving through the station. The way in which these lively organic shapes surround and intersect between the architectural forms highlights the ways in which nature has continued to flourish within the urban ecosystem, in much the same way that city residents from all over world have learned to survive and find joy in their communities.  

Marco Gallotta is an Italian-born artist based in New York. He finds inspiration in the city’s urban landscape, distinct artistic facets, and diverse population, using the intricate craft of paper-cutting techniques, drawing, painting, and printmaking in his work. Watercolors, inks, and graphite are applied to photographs that are then cut out, with paper and other materials strategically overlapped to create varied compositions. Gallotta has worked with heritage brands such as Chanel, Ferrari, Nike, Vogue, and Campari, along with notable individuals like President Barack Obama and Will Smith. In 2021, he created an official stamp for the Italian Postal Service celebrating the 100th anniversary of an important factory in his home city of Battipaglia. Gallotta received his associate’s degree in fashion illustration and a bachelor’s degree in general illustration from the Fashion Institute of Technology.