Metropolitan Commercial Bank kicked off its Bank on Art community showcase series on Jan. 20 with an opening night gala that featured artwork from various Great Neck Public Schools students.
Metropolitan Commercial CEO Mark DeFazio said the art showcase would help create a closer relationship between the bank and the residents of the surrounding area.
“Giving local student artists the opportunity to showcase their work is just one of the ways Metropolitan Commercial Bank intends to get involved in the Great Neck community,” DeFazio said. “We specifically designed our new banking center so that we could provide a unique meeting space for local community groups, whether that’s our local schools, a business networking group or a charitable organization.”
Metropolitan Commercial, a full-service commercial bank headquartered in New York City, opened it’s first Long Island location in December at 111 Great Neck Road in Great Neck.
The Bank on Art series will last throughout the year, according to a press release, and will feature both amateur and professional artists.
More than 30 student paintings will be on display until mid-March, the release said.
“Great Neck Public Schools is thankful to have had the opportunity to work with Metropolitan Commercial Bank to demonstrate our students’ many talents,” Great Neck Board of Education Trustee Susan Healy said. “Metropolitan Commercial Bank’s student-art showcase was a wonderful community event, and we look forward to participating again in the future.”
The Great Neck South High School students featured in the exhibit include Sydney Chang, Caroline Hong, Selene Hu, Rui Hua Jing, Ariel Kang, Melody Kang, Stephanie Lin, Chloe Metz, Victor Pei, Weilan Shao and Michelle Zhang.
Great Neck South Middle School students featured in the exhibit are Cheryl Chan, Miackie Domingo, Emma Fico, Austin George, Isabelle Hou, Ethan Jiang, Eden Katz and Uma Tseyang.
Featured Great Neck North High School students include Leah Aziz, Jane Chang, Rachel Ho, Tarini Karwal, Netanel Kohn, Thomas Okin, Troy Xu and Yulia Yeung.
Great Neck North Middle School students featured in the exhibit are Zekun Dong, Anne Goldsmith, Ariela Hakimi, Sophia Han, Zhenran He, Stephanie Kim, Jacqueline Manelis and Ava Nazif.
Prior to the bank opening, Metropolitan Commercial Senior Vice President and head of retail banking Laura Capra had said the bank wanted to utilize its 5,000-square-foot space for other non-banking related community events.
The bank has not yet announced whose artwork would be featured in the bank after the Great Neck students’ work comes down in March.
