The Bronx River Art Center presents a preview exhibition to our planned ‘art intervention’ in Starlight Park, the newest segment of the Bronx River Greenway, which will be a re-enactment of the Bronx International Exposition of Science, Arts and Industries that took place in this same area along the river in 1918. The exhibit will include intriguing images from the 1918 fair and renderings and models of the proposed projects. Participating artists will be on hand to engage the public in the gallery and in their studios, where they will also show other artworks they are working on.

The exhibition, curated by KaN Landscape Design, Karine Duteil and Nadej Hocin (who are also the site curators for the installation in Starlight Park), will be on view through July 1, 2018 during regular gallery hours, Tuesday - Friday 3 - 6:30 PM and Saturday noon - 5 PM.

In preparation for the upcoming exhibition participating artists have created artworks in their BRAC studios that reflect their inspiration.  
The open house will also feature music from Bulla en el Barrio, the Colombian bullerengue musical folklorists. Their sound is steeped in the tradition of cumbia-based style music and sung exclusively by women. Bullerengue has been a tool for women to express themselves through music and dance, and acts as foundation for women’s leadership and empowerment.

With its return, BRAC begins a year-long reimagining of its neighboring public space Starlight Park. The 13-acre park, which was also recently reconstructed and expanded, neighbors the Bronx River and originally served as an amusement park and grounds for the 1918 Bronx International Exposition of Science, Arts and Industries. It is this historical touchstone that will serve as inspiration for the upcoming installation River Rising/Sube el Rio, Starlight Park 2018, An Exposition of Science, Art and Technology.

Participating artists:

Infinite Archive Artist Collective (Patrick Perry, Sarah Rowe, and Rachel Sydlowski), River Pulse Artist Collective (Nicolas R. Mariscal, Sarena Rabinowitz, and Cecile Yama) Manuel Acevedo, Nina Edwards Anker, Eduardo Benamor Duarte, Samantha Holmes, Amy Pryor, Moses Ros, Gabriela Salazar, Drew Seskunas, and Caterina Tiazzoldi

This lead-in to the actual outdoor exhibition of the same name --on view June 30, 2018 through June 30, 2019--  will present artworks that expand what it means to serve a community that is connected to and intersected by Starlight Park and the Bronx River. Participating artists will explore notions of access to green spaces, outdoor recreation, pollution, food security, and other topical issues. As well as connect Bronx histories to ongoing issues of the environment, technology, and science.

Through the presentation of eight temporary public art installations, which will also function as pavilions for the display and promotion of products and productions by Bronx-based creative entrepreneurs, our new fair will bring exposure to local artists and arts collectives. The installations will also bring forward as a base for enterprising spirit of our borough and again herald Bronx and NYC residents to the river and this new parkland for a 21st Century cultural experience.

BRAC, in cooperation with the Bronx River Alliance and KaN Landscape Design, intends to animate this recently restored but currently underused park site. Our intent is to address today’s concerns of science, art and technology as they are relevant to our multicultural community. Through the production of temporary public art installations, our new fair will bring exposure to the enterprising spirit of our borough and again herald Bronx and NYC residents to the river and this new parkland for a 21st Century cultural experience.