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:
Maiden Lane Exhibition Space
125 Maiden Lane, New York, NY 10038
John Powers: Captain America
Reception: Friday October 17, 5 -- 8 pm
Asian American Arts Centre (www.artspiral.org)
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
Bronx River Art Center (www.bronxriverart.org)
1087 East Tremont Avenue, Bronx, NY 10460
October 27 – December 6, 2008
Reception: November 21, 2008, 6-9pm
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
Participating artists include:
Maiden Lane Exhibition Space:
John Powers
Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning:
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:
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:
Shinsuke Aso Kai Bailey
Marcy Brafman Amy Brener
Robert Anthony Bryn Emie 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
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.
