Edward Meshekoff

Edward Meshekoff was an internationally recognized New York sculptor and muralist whose work has been commissioned by major corporations and leading architectural firms throughout the United States and worldwide.

His massive bronze sculptures, painted murals and colorful mosaics have been incorporated into the design of some of New York City’s most visible structures - - the Pan Am Building, the AT&T and Amoco buildings, several branches of the Chemical Bank, New York Trust and the famed Lincoln Center, just to name a few. His Lincoln Center installations have included the bronze proscenium arch for the New York State Theater and decorative bronze screens for the Center’s interior courtyard.

He has also created major pieces for several Grace Line cruise ships and for hotels such as the Caribe Hilton in San Juan, Puerto Rico. A brass and copper relief based on much-publicized cave paintings discovered in the Ndedema Valley Gorge in the African nation of Lesotho was designed by Meshekoff for that country’s premier hotel.

The son of Russian immigrant parents, Meshekoff was born in New York City and received formal art training at the University of California Los Angeles. His professional career was launched in the Army during World War II, where he pioneered the concept of creating visual aids to enhance military training. His visual break down of the M-1 rifle was the first such project and is an approach that remains in use today.

After his military service at Camp Roberts in San Luis Obispo, he returned to Los Angeles with his wife, Helen, where he produced whimsical large scale murals and signage for the upscale department stores and illustrated children’s books as well as Book Covers. They found their way back to and Edward started working as a commercial artist. He also began to create murals and mosaics for a growing list of clients that has included General Electric, Horn and Hardart restaurants, Westinghouse and Jones and Loughlan Steel for the Pittsburgh Gate Way Center. Rutgers University and numerous other public and private buildings and facilities.

While much of his work has been in the form of mosaics, painted murals and occasionally stained glass, he is probably best known for his architectural bronzes – many of which have been commissioned by world famous architects including Frank Gina, Daniel Schwartzman, Philip Johnson and Alfred Easton Poor as permanent features of major design projects – and this was his preferred medium.
As one example, he created bronze screens, stairway designs and other decorative features for the palatial Washington, D. C. home of the late David Lloyd Kreeger, founder of the Government Employees Insurance Corporation (GEICO). The architect for that project was Philip Johnson.

Meshekoff lived on the upper east side of New York City with his wife Helen until 2010.

Murals and mosaics in midcentury Modern architecture

General telephone Building – 3rd avenue and 45th St. NY
AMOCO Building- 43rd St and 5th Avenue, NY
Westinghouse Corporation- Gateway Center Building, Pittsburgh, PA
Jones and Laughlin Steel Corporation- Gateway Center Building, Pittsburgh, PA
Mt. San Antonio College- Pomona, CA

Comprehensive list of murals and sculptures for restaurants, including ones in department stores between 1962 and 1967

Sardi’s East
United Nations Plaza
Savarin Time Life Building
Eastern Airlines JFK Airport
St. Regis
Hecht Company Restaurants
R.H. Macy
Horn & Hardart 42nd St. and 3rd Avenue, as well as 11 other locations in NY and NJ
Grace Lines
Orbach’s
Cloisters East
Caribe Hilton Hotel- San Juan
Sheraton San Juan

Sculptural Fixtures, Murals, Retail Signage, and Contract Furniture appearing throughout the entire store.
The Hecht Company/ The Hecht Brothers. Locations include: