Open spaces and shared areas have formed the mantra for new corporate spaces, such as the one visited last evening by members of The Association of Professionals Art Advisors APAA. Circling the trading desks of Junta Capital Management LP are ingeniously utilized artworks that are a paeon to Benjamin Franklin, whose work ethic and history inspired the originators of the firm.
Brian Tolle is the artist responsible for the ingenious translation of Benjamin Franklin’s persona and views through art he has created throughout the offices of Junto, from wallpaper with word formations to complex mathematical formulas invented by Franklin made into color block artworks. All this was done around central trading desks so it becomes a bit of a puzzle to follow the art throughout the spaces, but well worth it.
The Junto or Leather Apron Club was founded in 1727 by Franklin in Philadelphia to debate questions of morals, politics and philosophy, and to exchange knowledge of business affairs. It also had a charitable component that included giving a library of their own books for public use.
Franklin’s one mistake was to mistake the word Junta for Junto, which is the masculine for “joins” when he meant to use Junta or “meeting”. I suppose there weren’t many Spanish speakers among the 12 members at the time.
Artist Brian Tolle
