Art for Impact

An impressive collection of works by local landscape artists found prominent spots in insurance brokerage giant, Marsh Canada office remodel, reinforcing the company’s roots and history

By Marni Andrews

When designing a new space, one of the most important elements is the walls. Not just the construction, but what goes on them. Including artwork in an office design doesn’t just add color and texture to a space; it also can reflect the company’s brand and culture. 

Marsh Canada, a giant of the insurance brokerage industry headquartered in New York City, engaged Toronto-based interior design firm Bartlett & Associates to upgrade the design of their public spaces to better reflect their branding. An integral part of the project was moving the Marsh art collection ahead with the acquisition of newer pieces.

The collection was started 20 years ago with large traditional textured canvases and has progressed to more abstract pieces. A unifying factor is that all the artists are Canadian since American-based corporations tend to support Canadian art in their Canadian offices to emphasize the local brand.

One of the key themes of the original collection was the landscape, a naturally dominant feature given Canada’s geography. In adding to the collection, Inger Bartlett, president of Bartlett & Associates, continued this focus. The new art was selected carefully to reflect the design of the rooms and create an atmosphere in each area that was distinct and individual yet still reflects Marsh’s history.

“The new artwork really reinforces the dynamic potential of a corporate collection,” remarks Inger Bartlett.

The most prominently featured artist is Anne Meredith Barry. Her work was purchased for an earlier project about five years ago and Marsh wanted to continue with her distinctive style. Barry, who passed away in 2003, deeply identified with wild, rocky, windswept Newfoundland. Bold forms and calligraphic lines that capture water, wind, shore and sky are characteristic of her work.

The reception area features fanciful lithographs by Brian Kelley, an artist whose modernist style frequently features the landscapes of Ontario’s Killarney Provincial Park. Oil paintings by Ivan Murphy and Peter Di Gesu of Halifax, Nova Scotia were featured in the lounge and boardroom.