World Trade Center tower features large-scale, bold and colorful artworks in lobbies

The new 1 World Trade Center opened to great fanfare last month as the first tenants moved into the 104-story tower through a vast lobby dominated by a monumental abstract mural.

The color-splashed, 90-by-15-foot painting is among 13 public artworks by five artists selected or commissioned for the historic skyscraper.

Asher Edelman's New York gallery curated the works. The only criteria he says was that they be abstract, thought-provoking and exciting enough to get people "to look up from their hand-held devices."

"ONE: Union of the Senses" by Jose Parla is the largest of the works. The Miami-born, Cuban-American artist created it as a symbol for diversity and unity. Brooklyn's Barclays Center and the Brooklyn Academy of Music also have murals by Parla.

There is one sculpture among the works; the rest are paintings.