Art Shows & Exhibits
Brooklyn Art Cave - Where We From Exhibition June 2
The “Where We From” Exhibition was curated by Chy (@_cmo.24) and meant to evoke feelings of “home” and “belonging”. In preparation for the event, I selected 7 photos of New York City that speak for why it has become my longtime adopted home.
Central Park Buskers (SOLD) - Few American Cities embrace the art of busking like New York does. Across the city, you can find a wide variety of instruments, genres, and skill sets. Making every venture into the subway one of musical exploration. Crafting melodies that speak to everyone. Begging those with headphones in their ears to take them out and became a part of a shared experienced. To me these artists create short situations where your worries and anxiety disappear to identify where that lovely sound is emanating from. Occasionally you’ll stumble across a park band that stops you in our tracks from an impromptu concert where admission is free. It always seems as though these situations happen on your worst of days, showing you why New York City is great to call home.
Hotdog Stand ($200) - The backbone of Midtown Manhattan. Positioned on about every corner, offering one of the few "affordable" options in the corporate wasteland. Creative ubiquitous experiences across carts, fostering a strong semblance of home no matter which street you are on. Home is where the heart is, and the nose feels most comfortable. A last bastion for the New Yorker on the move. Demonstrating the fact that you can find home and comfort in any corner of the city.
Check Mate (SOLD) - A staple of NYC Parks are their collection of chess boards. Bringing together individuals from all backgrounds and identities. At these boards, there is one common language and connection that lasts until Check Mate.... To me, these boards represent New York's ability to bring people together in ways that create commons bonds. Where nothing matters but the present and the company you are in. Sure, not all these matches are the most pleasant, but learning to see the positive is what keeps us all coming back.
New York or Nowhere ($300) - Being the corporate version of an Army Brat. I have experienced much of the United States, without feeling a sense of home. No where in the country fills that spot more than New York City and the Tri-State area. Born in California, I have found New York to have different sense of reality and truth. In California, love is a sense of suspended reality where we struggle to talk about those difficult conversations. In the Tri-State area, there is a different more aggressive language of truth and love that creates a sense of belonging. From the corner bar showcasing local artists and performers, to the Art Cave giving me my first exhibition. Very few places replace niceness with an aggressive language of truth. Helping the confused find their home and niche. Where belonging means more than "acting" like friends or feeding false positives. Very few cities look to improve you until you say... New York or Nowhere.
Bonnie & Clyde ($300) - Living in the East Village Has given me a new confidence to experiment/explore myself and my style. Once a haven for punk rock, artists, and counter-culture movements. The East Village is returning to its roots. Remaining a place for unfiltered expression. Taken during the massive Pandemic Storm, these two embody the renewed, No Fucks Given, attitude of the EV. Juxtaposing the more understated all black look, against an unmistakable bright blue ski masks that invoke Bonnie and Clyde. Maintaining anonymity, while standing out against all odds. Never again will I feel the need to bury my neon green trainers in leaves to hide their mission to stand out. Freeing my middle school self from the prison of self expression. Never in New York City do you feel as though expression isn't allowed
New York's Finest ($200) - When you need them the most, they will be there for you. No matter the conditions, these men and women will brave the unknown in order to save you, your belongings, and your home. Few positions in the city come with the reverence of being a New York City Firefighter. Even without so much as an introduction, you know these individuals are here to help. No situation is too daunting for the FDNY. Willing to sacrifice life and limb in order to do whatever they can to save you, your home, and your loved ones. It’s in your darkest times and scariest situations that these brave hero's will do whatever it takes to provide aid. Such selflessness and effort to let even those in their toughest times know that they belong here.
No Loitering ($160) - While "Crime" may not elicit overt feelings of home and belonging. I believe the shift in the way NYC handles crime, shows the understanding of belonging in one’s home. New York City is tough, and these streets beg the question, can we be clean forever? This man was immediately approached by someone looking to help him. He let him know that this venture is not one leading to El Dorado, but to Rikers. Offering a helping word to motivate him to look for better prospects. While the world is at its breaking point, New York City is entering its stage of equity. While right-wing outlets call for tougher punishments and filled jails. The citizens know a more nuanced approach is what makes home and belonging the future of the mental health movement, especially as the understanding of the human condition continues to develop.