Altamarea Group Purchases 11 Works by London Artist Nasser Azam for Display in Restaurants

NEW YORK CITY (May 29, 2014) -- The Altamarea Group is excited to announce the purchase of 11 oil paintings by the London based artist, Nasser Azam for display at Marea (240Central Park South) in New York as part of its fifth year anniversary. These paintings, together with Azam's works in Costata (206 Spring Street) add a new element to the dining experience. Azam's dynamic post Pop paintings complement the energetic spirit of award winning Marea and Costata's contemporary vibes as well as the Altamarea Group's cultural associations with fashion, film and the arts.

The art is now available for viewing in Marea's main dining room, the lounge area near the onyx bar and the downstairs private dining space. The works include more abstract pieces as well as a new "map" series that speaks to the global client of Marea and the Altamarea Group. Azam has been widely lauded for his sculpture Athena, the tallest bronze sculpture in the UK as well as a series of high profile "Performance Painting" projects developed in extreme working conditions, from zero gravity in Moscow to below zero temperatures in Antarctica. Please see attached select works for your reference including Passage X, Antarctica XX.I and North America II.X.

For press and other inquiries about the art or the artist please contact Olivia Young, Altamarea Group at oyoung@altamareagroup.com.

Nasser Azam (b. 1963, Jhelum, Pakistan) is a London-based British contemporary artist. Azam's reputation was established in the early 1980s, with exhibitions at galleries in Birmingham and the West Midlands including the Barber Institute of Fine Arts. In 2007, after an extended period living and traveling in Japan,Europe and America, Azam became Artist-in-Residence at County Hall Gallery,London, mounting a series of major exhibitions of early and recent work, including the critically acclaimed Anatomica in April 2008. He began working with sculpture, and in February 2008 a monumental bronze, The Dance, was unveiled on London's South Bank. This was followed in July 2012 by the unveiling of Athena in the London City Airport; at 12 metres it is the tallest bronze sculpture in the UK. Azam has developed his painting in a series of projects that reflect his interest inextreme working condition and also painting as a performance, from Zero Gravity (Star City, Moscow, 2008), to the freezing ice deserts of Antarctica (2010). A six metres high bronze sculpture, Evolutionary Loop 517 was unveiled outside the new research centre and library at the University of Aberdeen in May 2103. For more information, visit http://azam.com

The Altamarea Group is owned by partners Ahmass Fakahany and Chef Michael White and is comprised of seven Manhattan restaurants, Marea (2009), Osteria Morini (2010), Ai Fiori (2010), Nicoletta (2012), Costata (2013), The Butterfly (June 2013), and Ristorante Morini (December 2013), two New Jersey restaurants, Osteria Morini (2012) in Bernardsville, and Due Mari (2008) in New Brunswick, Osteria Morini (2013) in Washington, D.C., Al Molo (2010) in Hong Kong, Chop Shop in London (2013) andMorini Istanbul (2013). Altamarea Group delivers the highest levels of quality and consistency in food and service across distinct brands and concepts with the client always at the center. It has consistently received top recognition and acclaim from JamesBeard Foundation, Michelin Guide, ZAGAT, New York Times, and Relais & Chateaux. For more information, visit http://alatamareagroup.com