New York's Chrysler Building access granted to Marco Luccio for upcoming Manhattan exhibition opening at 14 Gallery on 27 November.
Melbourne will step inside the raw pulse of New York when artist Marco Luccio opens Manhattan at 14 Gallery this month. Luccio is one of the only artists ever granted access to work inside the Chrysler Building, creating some of the exhibition’s most powerful works from this rare vantage point across rooftops, sidewalks and throughout Manhattan.
This series marks a new high point for Luccio. Works are visceral, layered and filled with the tension, movement and intensity of the city that has shaped him for more than 20 years. Painted and drawn in the weather, noise and unpredictability of New York, the pieces carry the urgency of the streets themselves.
Manhattan by Marco Luccio
- What: Exhibition of New York works by Marco Luccio
- When: Opening 27 November
- Where: 14 Gallery, Melbourne
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Chrysler Building works
Standing beside the gargoyles and looking down over Midtown from inside the Chrysler Building, Luccio created some of the most arresting works in the exhibition. It’s a privilege previously held by Margaret Bourke White. Additional pieces were made during his residency at the Australian American Association, where he worked day and night in front of windows overlooking the Empire State Building.
This is not a romanticised New York. Luccio reveals the city’s grit, density and fleeting beauty with a truthfulness that has become his signature. Manhattan invites audiences to experience the city as he experiences it: alive, restless and constantly shifting.
Working between Melbourne and New York for two decades has given Luccio a unique perspective on urban environments. His expressive mark-making captures something beyond the postcard views and tourist snapshots. There’s an immediacy to these works that comes from creating them in the moment, exposed to the elements and the chaos of the city.
The exhibition will also feature a showcase of Luccio’s working materials. Visitors will be able to view pages from his diaries, studio tools, reference photos and video footage, providing a behind-the-scenes look into the private world that drives his practice. It positions the exhibition as both an artistic and documentary experience.
Alongside the exhibition, Luccio will present a talk titled The Making of Manhattan, sharing stories gathered during two decades in the city. It’s a rare opportunity to hear directly from an artist about the process behind creating work in one of the world’s most intense urban environments.
Marco Luccio is an award-winning, internationally exhibited artist known for his powerful depictions of urban environments. He has presented more than 40 solo exhibitions and participated in over 100 curated and group shows across Australia, the United States, Italy and beyond.
His work is held in major public and corporate collections including the National Gallery of Victoria, the National Gallery of Australia, the New York Public Library and the Museum of the City of New York. In 2025 he was selected as a VCE Art case study for his innovative contemporary practice.
Manhattan presents an artist in evolution, expanding his technical vocabulary with new mediums, new processes and an ever-deepening engagement with the cities that shape his imagination, with an exclusive look down from New York’s Chrysler Building.
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