Events
BAC Gallery presents Third Wave: The Planet of Brooklyn Transitions
Brooklyn Arts Council announces 3rd
Wave: The Planet of Brooklyn Transitions, an exhibition of works by 25
Brooklyn-based artists, which presents a visual analysis of the effect
immigration, migration and gentrification has had on New York's most
populous borough. The exhibition is curated by Philip Harvey and will
be on view from October 13, 2006 through January 12, 2007 at BAC
Gallery, located at 111 Front Street, DUMBO.
RECEPTION: Friday, October 13, 6 – 8pm
OPEN HOUSE: Saturday, October 14, 1 – 5 pm
 A '3rd Wave' of new Brooklyn residents, which follows two previous
large-scale influxes of immigration into Brooklyn, has resulted in a
unique mix of traditions, cultures and perspectives on life that
characterize the borough today. 3rd Wave: The Planet of Brooklyn
Transitions captures this shift in Brooklyn's ever-changing history
through the eyes of 25 artists, working across two dimensional forms.
Brooklyn-based artists, Scott Andresen, Laylah Amatullah Barrayn,
Betty Alexandra Bastidas, Steven Bornholtz, Martin Brecht, Delphine
Fawandu Buford, Samantha Casolari, Linn Edwards, Cacy Forgenie, Lucy
Fradkin,
G Grippo, Akintola Hanif, Jayson Keeling, Nsenga Knight, Youme
Landowne, Erica McDonald, Ocean Morisset, Lori Nelson, One9, David
Pham, Joan B Reutershan, Misty Rice, Tom Russotti, Hidemi Sato and
Rachel Wells contribute works that create a mosaic of images and
themes, each representing a dimension that makes up the culture of
present day Brooklyn.
HISTORY OF BROOKLYN IMMIGRATION
In the early to mid 1850's, the population of Brooklyn nearly doubled
in size. This rise was the result of a great influx of immigrants
largely from Northern and Western European countries. The rush of new
cultures and traditions, later termed the 1st Great Wave of European
immigration, changed the social fabric of Brooklyn. The 2nd Great Wave
of European immigration began in the 1880's and lasted until the
beginning of the 20th century. It proved to be even more intense than
the first and by 1900 the population of Brooklyn had reached 1.1
million people.
In 1965, President Lyndon Johnson guided a historic Immigration Act
through Congress that called for a change in the protocol for
accepting immigrants into the United States.� Officially named the
"Immigration Act of 1965," the new legislation would have a profound
effect on the cultural make-up of the United States in general, and
Brooklyn in particular, as large numbers of immigrants of color from
South and Central America, Asia, the Caribbean and Africa poured into
the country. The promise of opportunity also attracted greater numbers
of U.S. born migrants who saw prospect in the land where, "a tree
grows." Real estate developers, artists, and people fleeing the high
rents of Manhattan also moved into Brooklyn, further changing the
social fabric of the borough and creating the 3rd Wave of Brooklyn
immigration.
3rd WAVE
By visually translating the effect that immigration, migration,
miscegenation and gentrification are having on the cultural, social
and economic make-up of "the planet of Brooklyn," the artists of 3rd
Wave provide a visual entr�e into a world where cultures intersect
across national, racial and social boundaries and form a unique and
vibrant community.
Brooklyn based, Argentinean born artist, designer and cultural
activist G Grippo, digitally manipulates photographs of Brooklyn
landmarks, offering a contemporary spin on the iconic imagery of the
borough. Saturated colors enliven his subjects and communicate the
palpable vibrancy present in previously dilapidated or ignored urban
corners. �Lucy Fradkin's 39 Birds, 2 Woman and a Boy and Mixed
Emotions are figurative mixed-media paintings that draw viewers into a
world quietly hinting at the confluence of race, gender and sexual
identity, paralleling life in Brooklyn.
Linn Edwards uses her camera to provide an intimate look into the
lives of people who have moved to Brooklyn for its proximity to the
career and social opportunities of Manhattan. Emphasizing gesture,
mood and atmosphere, Edwards explores the private lives of women in
their late 20's and early 30's who grapple with their choice of having
opted to follow the path of creative fulfillment over financial
stability. Misty Rice, also a photographer, focuses her attention on
the everyday life of a husband and wife team of Chinese immigrants who
run a local laundromat in Brooklyn, giving face to the people who hold
neighborhoods together as the forces of gentrification work to change
their communities.
ABOUT THE CURATOR
Philip Harvey is the editor of nat creole, an online monthly magazine
(www.natcreole.com) dedicated to offering an entertaining yet informed
perspective on the literature, politics, art and music of contemporary
global culture. With a focus on broadening the conversation on the
arts and their role in an increasingly inter-connected world, nat
creole provides an ideal forum for the exchange of ideas, beliefs and
forms of cultural expression.
BAC Gallery is located at 111 Front Street, Suite 218 (alternate
entrance at 55 Washington Street, between Front and Water Streets)
Regular gallery hours are Monday through Friday from 11:00 AM to 5:00
PM.
All of the artists included in this exhibition are members of the BAC
Online Registry of Brooklyn Literary, Performing and Visual Artists.
Contact Gallery Coordinators Sally Sturman
(ssturman@brooklynartscouncil.org) or Courtney Wendroff
(cwendroff@brooklynartscouncil.org) for more information about BAC
Gallery or to find out how to join the BAC Online Registry.
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Founded in 1966, the Brooklyn Arts Council, Inc. (BAC) is a service
organization dedicated to helping artists, arts organizations and
community groups promote and sustain the arts. BAC is unique in the
borough in that it assists artists – both amateur and professional –
in all disciplines. Major areas of service include BAC's Community
Arts Regrant Program, Professional Development Seminars for the Arts,
Arts in Education, BAC Folk Arts, the Printmaker's Portfolio Project,
the BAC International Film and Video Festival and BAC Gallery.
Council programs are made possible, in part, with public funds and
major corporate, foundation and individual support. |
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