Metro Poles: Art in Action – A tri-borough collaborative art exhibition

New York, October 10, 2008 - This month, Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning (JCAL) presents Metro Poles, Art in Action, a curatorial collaboration with the Bronx River Art Centre, the Asian American Arts Center, and the Maiden Lane Exhibition Space. Metro Poles, Art in Action debuts on Friday, October 17th with the opening of John Powers: Captain America at the Maiden Lane Exhibition Space located at 125 Maiden Lane, in lower Manhattan. John Powers' Captain America was commissioned by Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning, and Maiden Lane Exhibition Space is sponsored by Time Equities Inc. From October 17, 2008 – January 17, 2009 the four galleries will serve as hubs for creative experimentation. A core group of artists will be given the opportunity to create work in each gallery and off site locations that reveal their vision of nexus, collaboration, and social relationships. The gallery/sites will be their stage for the duration of a week. Each artist in the core group will then invite an additional artist to continue their work, expanding upon the original artist’s momentum through addition, subtraction, inversion
or re-position. This second group of artists will then each invite another artist to continue the process. This will continue for the duration of the exhibition with approximately 60 artists participating in the project. Throughout this time, each gallery will function as a collective studio—a site of constant creation and revision. The idea for Metro Poles was originally conceived by Heng-Gil Han, JCAL’s curator. It was later developed in collaboration with Jose Ruiz, Bronx River Art Center’s curator and realized in collaboration with Robert Lee and Elisabeth Akkerman curators of Asian American Arts Centre and The Francis J. Greenburger Collection/Time Equities Inc, New York respectively. “I wanted to create a show that was a collaborative activity among emerging
contemporary artists and would bring people to discover art organizations located like Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning, Bronx River Art Center and Asian American Arts Centre, which are off the “beaten art path.” It is at organizations like these where many
critics, curators and art buyers are introduced to emerging contemporary artists, according to Mr. Han. The artistic collaborations will result in an installation which evolves over time and incorporates the cultural and artistic diversity of individual participants.”

Participating Galleries and artists:

Maiden Lane Exhibition Space
125 Maiden Lane, New York, NY 10038
John Powers: Captain America
Reception: Friday October 17, 5 -- 8 PM

Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning (www.jcal.org)
161-04 Jamaica Avenue, Jamaica, NY 11432
November 13, 2008 – January 17, 2009
Reception: November 13, 2008, 6 - 9 pm

Shelly Bahl, Brian Balderston, Jason Balicki, Lindsay L. Benedict, Caitlin Berrigan, Andrea Christens, Emcee C.M., Master of None, Liz Deschenes, Jason Eisner, Yevgeniy Fiks, Christopher K. Ho, Klara Hobza, Takashi Horisaki, Vandana Jain, Lin + Lam, Mary Lum, Carlos Motta, Jason Mortara, Annie Shaw, Chad Stayrook, Chanika Svetvilas, Tattfoo Tan, Claudia Weber

Asian American Arts Centre (www.artspiral.org) (blog)
26 Bowery, New York, NY 10013
Oct 14 - Dec 5 (dates vary with each location - see website)
Walking tours: October 27, November 12, December 5

Olivia Beens, Wan Ling Li, Angela Valeria, Tamara Gubernat, Laura Chipley, Francisca Caporali, Katarina Wong, Wennie Huang, Ke Qin Yang, Tamiko Kawata, Yo Park, Avani Patel, Nathalie Pham

Bronx River Art Center (www.bronxriverart.org) (blog)
1087 East Tremont Avenue, Bronx, NY 10460
October 27 – December 6, 2008
Reception: November 21, 2008, 6-9pm

Shinsuke Aso, Kai Bailey, Marcy Brafman, Amy Brener, Robert Anthony Bryn, Emmy Catedral, Corey D'Augustine, Zack Davis, Asa Elzen, Zachary Fabri, Paul Clay, McKeedre Key, Sandra Lee, Chang-Jin Lee, Rossana Martinez, Esperanza Mayobre, Jim Nolan, Bryan Zanisnik, Mike Rader, Leonid Tsvetkov

Press:
QueensBuzz.com

Metro Poles, Art in Action is funded, in part, by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Jerome Foundation.
The Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning is housed in a landmark building owned by the City of New York and is funded with public funds provided through the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency; the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs with support from Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg; Cultural Affairs Commissioner Kate D. Levin; the New York City Council; Council Speaker Christine Quinn; the Queens Delegation of the Council; Deputy Majority Leader, Councilman Leroy Comrie; and Queens Borough President Helen M. Marshall.

My team is Tattfoo Tan, Caitlin Berrigan and Emcee C.M., Master of None

Week ONE: We painted the chalk board for all artist to sketch, communicate and leaves messages for each other.

Week TWO: Caitlin and I continue to build and finished the Marshmellow Shelter using chicken wire mesh and a suitcase full of marshmellow.

Week THREE: A white box with mirrored interior had been added. It is labeled G5.

Pick up Caitlin's concept of foreclosure that hits hard in the Jamaica neighborhood. I decide to started my Monopoly idea where I draw various Monopoly icons on the sidewalk on Jamaica Avenue.

Week FOUR: I added a parasite in the form of green cable tie into one of the already finish installation. I believe the piece is also about the economy crisis.

I added my DIY: Everyone is an artist series into the gallery space.