City Point Scrollathon
Fabulous Phil, 2016. 40 x 40 feet x 4 inches. Papier-mâché, paint, varnish, blown glass, brass grommets, screws, plywood, skim coat. Photo: Todd Eberle
Fabulous Phil is the largest Collaborative Masterwork by Steven and William Ladd, measuring an impressive 40 by 40 feet. Composed of an astounding 35,000 handcrafted beads, it finds its permanent home at City Point in Downtown Brooklyn. The remarkable creation of this piece unfolded during the City Point Scrollathon, which spanned from May, 2015, to January, 2016, engaging the participation of over 1,000 people hailing from 16 different Brooklyn institutions.
Witnessing the radical transformation of Brooklyn over the past two decades, the Ladds were approached in 2014 by Paul Travis from Washington Square Partners. Travis, and a consortium of partners, was spearheading the revitalization of Downtown Brooklyn and sought to foster community engagement. They enlisted 1,700 local construction workers to construct their ambitious complex. Guided by their visionary aspirations, the architects devised an awe-inspiring concept—a colossal climate-controlled vitrine facing an area destined to become a park. The Ladds envisioned an artwork crafted by the local community to give them permanent representation.
The magnitude of the project was staggering, and with a lighthearted chuckle, Paul Travis suggested that such a colossal endeavor could not possibly be accomplished by hand. Undeterred, the Ladds embraced the challenge by meticulously crafting Fabulous Phil entirely by hand.
Community Partners
Brooklyn Autism Center
Brooklyn Community Services
Brooklyn High School for Leadership and Community Service
The Brooklyn Hospital Center
Brooklyn Museum
Brooklyn Music School
Global Autism Project
Helen Keller Services for the Blind
Ingersoll Community Center
Long Island University
Madison Square Boys & Girls Club: Navy Yard Clubhouse
New Body Elite
PS 307 Daniel Hale Williams
PS 316 Elijah Stroud
PS 58 The Carroll School
PS 369 Coy L. Cox School
Support
Fabulous Phil and the City Point Scrollathon were generously supported by Acadia Realty Trust, The Brodsky Organization, and Washington Square Partners with Cristina Grajales Gallery.
Special thanks to Charles and Barbara Ladd, Chris Conlon, Company Agenda, COOKFOX Architects, Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, GlassLab, a design program of The Corning Museum of Glass, Kenneth Bernstein, Lucien Zayan and The Invisible Dog Art Center, Paul Travis and Mark Finchandler, and the team at Steven and William Ladd.
