Photo by: Nicholas Knight
Here at Color X, we specialize in large format printing, fabrication, installations, and visual solutions in NYC and nationwide. With years of experience in the industry, we have had the opportunity to work on projects for many prestigious clients. Our arsenal of professional equipment and a team of experts has allowed us to complete many large and small installations nationwide
Large format digital printing refers to printed materials that are too big for standard commercial printing presses. Common uses for large format printing are window displays, in-store visuals, exhibit graphics, experiential marketing, OOH, trade shows, events, environmental graphics, & public spaces. This can be done on many different materials and Color X specializes in printing on a wide variety of substrates and materials.
As experts in this field, Color X was awarded the task of setting up a large format vinyl art installation in the terminal windows of LaGuardia Airport.
We were excited and ready to take on this task at the end of February of 2020 and complete it by the install date of the end of April 2020. In March, Covid-19 hit unexpectedly and presented new challenges for our team to overcome.
With the massive $8 billion renovation project of the new terminal already underway, we worked diligently to complete the installation of the vinyl window graphics in time for the grand opening.
The scope of the install was the expansive glass window facade of the new building. The area set to be covered with vinyl window graphics was nearly 12,000 square feet of glass (44 inches high and 268 feet long). The mural captures the vibrant energy and culture of New York and is composed of over 1100 photographs of the city, taken from the rooftop in NYC and Queens.
This piece was created by the internationally acclaimed artist Sabine Horning. Her goal was to create a cathedral window effect by using transparent media. The piece which was titled “La Guardia Vistas” works as a stained-glass window allowing sunlight to immerse visitors in a kaleidoscopic wash of color, image, and text as they move through this sprawling connector space. The project was printed on 3M scotch all clear vinyl which is transparent. When the printed vinyl is backed by daylight from the outside, it reflects this grand cityscape image with amazing details and color on to the space inside the terminal. At night it becomes a gigantic backlit graphic, lit from the light within the space.
To follow safety protocol, we had to reduce the size of our installation crew from six to three. This was done to ensure social distancing and limit the number of people in the space. This impacted the strategy of the install. We accommodated these changes by adding longer hours to each day as well as an extra weekend of work to our schedule. This planning was crucial to ensure on-time completion and avoid any delay in the opening of the terminal.
Working with a crew of three, two in the air and one on the ground, we installed each 44’ tall row of 4- 11’ panels, one after another. Each printed vinyl window panel was individually installed from gasket to gasket. Simple tasks like securing lifts and entering the space became obstacles to overcome during the pandemic. Once we became set up within the space, the installation went flawlessly and the job was completed in 7 days (1 day ahead of schedule).
Color X is involved with many types of large format printed vinyl installations. These include gigantic public space art installs, retail windows and in-store visuals, museum exhibits, pop-up events, experiential marketing, corporate interiors, vehicle wraps, and many more.
LaGuardia Airport, commissioned by LaGuardia Gateway Partners together with Public Art Fund, New York
