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The legendary artist Chris \u201cDAZE\u201d Ellis<\/a> is currently at work on newly commissioned artworks at 550 Madison Avenue on the corner of 55th Street. The <\/em>following interview with him was\u00a0conducted by Street Art NYC contributor Ana Candelaria.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n How did this wonderful opportunity come your way? And why this location?<\/strong><\/p>\n This project came about through my ongoing relationship with the Museum of the City of New York<\/a>. I was informed that there might be an opportunity to activate this huge space in Midtown Manhattan. And so, I didn\u2019t choose the location; the location chose me.<\/p>\n What was your vision for this project? And how did it evolve?<\/strong><\/p>\n We began with an offsite meeting, where we saw firsthand what the space would look like. We tossed Then I started thinking about this building which is really\u00a0iconic. The chief architect is Philip Johnson,<\/a> and I thought,\u201dOkay, my work is very New York-based. I work in New York everyday, and I draw inspiration from my daily commute.\u201d<\/p>\n I wanted to come up with something that is easily recognizable as very New York<\/em>, but \u2014 at the same time \u2014 something related to the natural world, as the site\u2019s atrium is so beautiful.<\/p>\n Were there any particular challenges that you faced in seeing your vision through?<\/strong><\/p>\n Not really. Once I came up with an idea for this particular space, there weren\u2019t any challenges.<\/p>\n Your artwork at this site is still in progress. How has the response been so far?<\/strong><\/p>\n The response so far has been 100 percent positive. And, most importantly, we\u2019ve gotten great respect Interview conducted by Ana Candelaria<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Photo credits: 1 Brad Farwell<\/strong><\/a>, 2-4 Ana Candelaria<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/streetartnyc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/daze-chris-ellis-mural-segment-nyc.jpeg\")
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around ideas, and I thought that whatever composition I come up with should be bright
and colorful \u2014 not dark and somber. It should, somehow, really lighten up the space. I started
thinking about color first and then composition.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/streetartnyc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/chris-daze-ellis-mural-detail-nyc.jpg\")
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from people who are just walking by in the street. Those people come from all walks of life. There are lots of tourists in this area, as well as people who pass by on their way to work. This area has a great mix of people.<\/p>\n