Transforming New York Street Objects
Organized by Site95 and Curated by Kimberly Marrero
The Lodge Gallery, 131 Chrystie Street, New York, NY 10002
July 8-9, 2014, Opening and Benefit: Tuesday, July 8, 5-8pm
Download: site95_Journal_03_02.e
What if we could look at the most mundane elements of our daily lives through an artist’s lens? What if we could transform these everyday manufactured objects into something remarkably different even for a brief moment? Fire hydrants, standpipes, street signs, lanterns, sewer drains, and bike racks appear as endless manufactured essentials. Many are exquisitely engineered objects that quietly confront us like permanent installations, marking every street corner and sidewalk in every borough. These industrial objects, which occupy a substantial portion of our urban grid, have become almost invisible to the eye as we navigate our way around them and through the trajectories and tasks of our busy lives from day to day.
Site95 is pleased to present “Transforming New York Street Objects,” an open call exhibition presented at The Lodge Gallery July 8-9. “Transforming” invites both artists and the general public to rethink the objects they encounter every day on the city’s streets through the creation of temporary outdoor sculptures with objects commonly found in their neighborhoods. Participants were asked to document their work with photographs and submit these images to Site95. All submissions are on view at nyctransformed.tumblr.com.
“Art is everywhere in New York, around every corner, behind every façade, down every alley, up every block, said Peter H. Kostmayer, CEO of Citizens Committee for New York City, a funder of the grassroots project. “Reimagining the ordinary, every day objects we see in one art form another, in photography or painting or dance, music, sculpture will open up the creative process to all New York’s artists, especially the ones whose work we’ve not yet seen.”
43 works from the “Transforming” open call presented in the exhibition were selected by a panel of 10 artists, gallerists, and curators including: Stuart Anthony (Executive Director of ArtConnects New York), Meaghan Kent (Director of Site95), Louky Keijsers Koning (Owner of LMAK Projects), Kimberly Marrero (Curator of “Transforming”), Michael Mut (Founder and President of The Love Yourself Project), Leon Reid IV (Artist), Gae Savannah (Writer/Artist), Keith Schweitzer (Owner of The Lodge Gallery), Jason Patrick Voegele (Owner of The Lodge Gallery), and Antonia Wright (Artist).
Site95 has published a special issue of the Site95 Journal 03_02 that features all winning entries by: Ariela Kader, Christopher Hart Chambers, Peter Brock, Suran Song, Michele Brody, Niizeki Hiromi, Paul Quince, Zac Benson, Omar Thorpe, Kristi Sword, Nicole Lenzi, Terry Ward, Stephanie Mora, Z, Shelley Flanders, Jamie Grove, Tasha Lewis, Lillian Przedecki, Cary Whittier, David Meanix, Katy Andrascik, Wan Yu Chen, Andrew Frotton, Kathryne Hall, Aimée Margolis, Matt Jones, Megan Kohlmiller, Leah Harper, Jos Diegel, Tania Sen, and BluDog 10003. All images are copyright of the artists. The prints on display are Artist Proofs that are available for sale for the benefit on July 8 at The Lodge Gallery. Bidding begins at $50.
100% of the print sales will be donated to The Doe Fund, a non-profit organization working to break the cycles of homelessness, addiction, and criminal recidivism. All of The Doe Fund’s programs and innovative business ventures ultimately strive to help homeless and formerly incarcerated individuals achieve permanent self-sufficiency, and aid the community, through work including the development of cleaner and safer streets. Site95 is also organizing a “Transforming” workshop series with Go Project, a year round educational organization for low income public school children in Manhattan from Kindergarten to Middle School.
“Transforming” is part of Dead in August (DiA), Site95’s yearly multi-venue exhibition and event series during which New York-based artists create in-depth projects in donated spaces across the city. More information can be found on Site95.org or email info@site95.org.
Kimberly Marrero is a private art advisor and independent curator based in New York City. She has organized many high profile public exhibitions working directly with celebrated artists and art institutions worldwide. Marrero manages various private art collections for her domestic and international clients. She has also enjoyed a longtime affiliation with the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, in New York, serving as an active education committee member as well as a museum educator, lecturer, and writer. She is a devoted advocate for Arts & Education and has established a number of grants to support various Arts & Educational Programs for institutions for learning throughout the five boroughs of New York City. Marrero is also a children’s book author.
This exhibition was made possible with the support of Citizens Committee for New York City, The Color House NY, The Lodge Gallery, Go Project, and The Doe Fund. Our great thanks to Kimberly Marrero, Megan Kohlmiller, Pooja Kakar, Michael Mut, Niizeki Hiromi, Shelley Flanders, Go Project staff and volunteers, Keith Schweitzer, and Jason Patrick Voegele.
