Display inspired by Chinese imagery in art, film, and fashion ahead of the "China: Through the Looking Glass" exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum of Art from May 7 through August 16, 2015

NEW YORK, May 4, 2015 — (PRNewswire) —  Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: ESRT) announced today that the Empire State Building (ESB) will light in celebration of The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute Benefit and spring 2015 exhibition, China: Through the Looking Glass.  Exhibition Artistic Director and renowned Chinese filmmaker, Wong Kar Wai, will create a one-of-a-kind lighting pattern, inspired by a 1925 French velvet coat in the illustrious fashion exhibition.  The lighting, which will take place on Monday, May 4, 2015, brings life to the exhibition, which will be on view in the Met's Chinese Galleries and Anna Wintour Costume Center from May 7–August 16, 2015.

"We're thrilled to recognize The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute and join with legendary filmmaker Wong Kar Wai to mark the great impact Chinese culture has had on international fashion and art," said  Anthony E. Malkin, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ESRT. "The Empire State Building has long joined in cultural representations with key institutions, and we are proud to celebrate with another great American icon, the Met."

Internationally-renowned lighting designer Marc Brickman will bring Wong Kar Wai's unique lighting pattern to life, representing one of the 140 examples of haute couture and avant-garde ready-to-wear ensembles that will be featured in this year's exhibition, using the building's LED tower lights.  Beginning at 8 p.m. ET on Monday, May 4, the Chinese fashion-inspired lighting display in red and gold -- China's most auspicious colors -- will be showcased on the architectural landmark until 2 a.m. ET on Tuesday, May 5.

"It's an honor for this exhibition opening to be recognized by one of New York City's most iconic landmarks," said Wong Kar Wai. "This lighting symbolizes the essence of the exhibition -- the blending of two cultures and the beauty that radiates from it."

The coat image chosen by Artistic Director Wong Kar Wai as the inspiration for the lighting represents a key piece in the exhibition, which will explore the impact of Chinese aesthetics on Western fashion, and how China has fueled the fashionable imagination for centuries. The piece, from the Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, represents key elements of fashion in the early twentieth century including the use of silk, fur and metal while staying true to China's affinity for both red and gold hues. High fashion in the exhibition will be juxtaposed with historic Chinese costumes, paintings, and porcelain, as well as film, to reveal enchanting reflections of Chinese imagery.

www.metmuseum.org/chinalookingglass
#MetGala #ChinaLookingGlass

About the Empire State Building
Soaring 1,454 feet above Midtown Manhattan (from base to antenna), the Empire State Building, owned by Empire State Realty Trust, Inc., is the "World's Most Famous Office Building." With new investments in energy efficiency, infrastructure, public areas and amenities, the Empire State Building has attracted first-rate tenants in a diverse array of industries from around the world. The skyscraper's robust broadcasting technology supports all major television and FM radio stations in the New York metropolitan market. The Empire State Building was named America's favorite building in a poll conducted by the American Institute of Architects, and the Empire State Building Observatory is one of the world's most beloved attractions as the region's #1 tourist destination. For more information on the Empire State Building, please visit www.empirestatebuilding.com, www.facebook.com/empirestatebuilding, @EmpireStateBldg, www.instagram.com/empirestatebldg, www.youtube.com/esbnyc or www.pinterest.com/empirestatebldg/.

About Empire State Realty Trust
Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: ESRT), a leading real estate investment trust (REIT), owns, manages, operates, acquires and repositions office and retail properties in Manhattan and the greater New York metropolitan area, including the Empire State Building, the world's most famous office building. Headquartered in New York, New York, the Company's office and retail portfolio covers 10.0 million rentable square feet, as of March 31, 2015, consisting of 9.3 million rentable square feet in 14 office properties, including nine in Manhattan, three in Fairfield County, Connecticut and two in Westchester County, New York; and approximately 727,000 rentable square feet in the retail portfolio.

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Empire State Realty Trust, Inc. The Metropolitan Museum of Art Web: http://www.empirestatebuilding.com