900 GRAND CONCOURSE

SOUTH BRONX

Intersecting Imaginaries considers mapping as a method for understanding place, time, and identity. Including borrowed and commissioned works by Bronx-based and tri-state area artists, this site-responsive exhibition and related public programming explore a complex vision of the South Bronx, while drawing parallels with cities around the world.

The title of the exhibition draws from the philosophical concept of the social imaginary, which considers community to be composed of human interaction and perceived connection. Intersecting Imaginar-ies melds this abstract understanding with an acknowledgement of external circumstance, presenting a constellation of works that speak to memory and lived experience as composite parts of a map, and as the binding fibers of community.

Facing the Bronx Supreme Courthouse, and mere blocks from Yan-kee Stadium, the storefront sits in a highly frequented intersection of the South Bronx. These landmarks, each controversial in their own right, arouse singular stories within a diverse borough that inform the cultural and sociopolitical discussion at the heart of the exhibition. The site has served many functions: it was once a ballroom as part of the Concourse Plaza Hotel, a diner, a thrift store, and now stands empty, sharing walls with housing provided by the Mid-Bronx Senior Citizen Council. Remnants of its former lives are evident in the raw space, serving as inspiration and context for works that navigate body politics, racial identity, communities in flux, and the natural environment as both separate and intersecting realities.

Photo: Tom Powel ImagingLeft to right: Bronx Photo League, Anne Percoco and Ellie Irons, Manuela Viera-Gallo, So Yoon Lym.

Intersecting Imaginaries es una exhibición de arte que considera métodos de mapeo para contemplar temas relaciona-dos con el lugar, el tiempo y la identidad. Al incluir obras prestadas y encargadas de artistas del área tri-estatal y del condado del Bronx, la exposición y programación pública explora una visión compleja del South Bronx de una manera que responde al sitio en particular, encontrando paralelismos con ciudades mundiales.

El título de la exposición se basa en el concepto filosófico del imagi-nario social, en lo cual se considera la comunidad como resultado de la interacción humana y la conexión percibida. Intersecting Imaginaries combina este entendimiento abstracto con una mirada hacía las cir-cunstancias externas. Presenta una constelación de obras que consid-eran a la memoria y a la experiencia vivida como partes integrales de un mapeo social, y como tal, representan las fibras que unen a una comunidad.

Frente al edificio principal del Tribunal Supremo del Bronx, y a sólo unas cuadras del estadio de los Yankees, la fachada del edificio se encuentra en un cruce altamente frecuentado en el South Bronx. Estos puntos de referencia, cada uno representando una polémica en su propio derecho, hablan de historias singulares dentro de un distri-to sumamente diverso, e informan el debate cultural y sociopolítico esencial en la exposición. El sitio ha gozado de varias funciones: en alguna época fue un salón de baile del Concourse Plaza Hotel, un restaurante, una tienda de segunda mano, y ahora se encuentra vacío, compartiendo paredes con una vivienda provisto por el Mid-Bronx Senior Citizens Council. Los restos de sus vidas pasadas son evi-dentes en el espacio de exposición, y sirven de inspiración y contexto para las obras, las cuales navegan temas relacionados a la política del cuerpo, la identidad racial, las comunidades en proceso de cambio, y el entorno natural; estos temas son realidades independientes y conectadas.

Photo: Tom Powel ImagingLeft to right: So Yoon Lym, coversation wall, Amy Pryor.

Curators Natasha BunzlDalaeja ForemanPaola GallioMary Kay JudyEva Mayhabal DavisLindsey O’ConnorWalter PuryearEmilia Shaffer-Del Valle

Artists Elia Alba

Arthur Avilés and Nicolás Dumit Estévez,Bronx Photo League

Linda CunninghamJosué Guarionex

Giorgio GuidiAriel JacksonSo Yoon LymLaura Napier

Anne Percoco and Ellie Irons Amy Pryor

David ShrobeManuela Viera-Gallo

PUBLIC PROGRAMSConnecting to and learning from the community

November 19, 2015Preview for Mid-Bronx Senior Citizens Council Opening Reception: Intersecting Imaginaries

November 21, 2015#NLEMeet: A social media event with artist Elia Alba

December 02, 2015Come Más Bronx Cuisine with Randal WilcoxThe Bronx Trolley: First Wednesday Arts & Culture Tour Stop

December 04, 2015Artist talk with Ariel Jackson, Amy Pryor and Bronx Photo League

December 10, 2015Panel Discussion: How Can We Unite to Preserve Our Communities?

December 12, 2015#NLEMeet: A social media networking event Closing Reception

THE CONVERSATION...

As guests in this neighborhood, we support community efforts to preserve the histories and cultural identities of the South Bronx.

We hope that this space serves as a platform for engaging conversation for those who enter.

Photo: Tom Powel ImagingLeft to right: David Shrobe, Josué Guarionex, Bronx Photo League, Manuela Viera-Gallo.

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CHECKLIST 1. Arthur Avilés and Nicolás Dumit EstévezA Gentle Act of Men in Hunts Point, 2015Part of Performing the BronxDuration: 22 minutesCourtesy of the artistsPhoto: Whitney BrowneCourtesy of No Longer Empty

2. David Shrobe Tight Rope, 2015Oil, ink, metal, wood, tile, paper, mixed media73 x 65 inchesCourtesy of the artistPhoto: Whitney BrowneCourtesy of No Longer Empty

3. Josué GuarionexCoffee Break, 2014 From the series The Pursuit of PowerWooden gun and bullets, coffee machine10 x 12 x 5 inchesCourtesy of the artistPhoto: Whitney BrowneCourtesy of No Longer Empty

4. Laura Napierproject for a street corner (Yankees), 2011 Video Duration: 29 secondsCourtesy of the artistPhoto: Whitney BrowneCourtesy of No Longer Empty

5. Bronx Photo League Jerome Avenue Workers Project, 201515 photographsPhotographs silver gelatin prints24 x 20 x 1.5 inches eachCourtesy of The Bronx Photo LeaguePhoto: Whitney BrowneCourtesy of No Longer Empty

6. Giacomo FranciaJerome Avenue Workers, 2015VideoDuration: 25 minutesCourtesy of The Bronx Photo LeaguePhoto: Whitney BrowneCourtesy of No Longer Empty

7. & 9. Manuela Viera-Gallo Morir Matando, 2013Part of the series Domestic ViolenceCotton rope, broken ceramic plates and glassesDimensions variableCourtesy of the artistPhoto: Whitney BrowneCourtesy of No Longer Empty

8. & 10 Anne Percoco and Ellie IronsNext Epoch Seed Library, 2015Seeds from spontaneous plants, collected from Bronx & elsewhere; wood; paper seed packets; pamphletsDimensions variableA commissioned work for NLE Lab Photo: Eva Mayhabal Davis Photo: Whitney BrowneCourtesy of No Longer Empty

11. & 12. Ariel JacksonHome AKA Media Lab, 2015Video installation, sculpture, collageIncluding video works:What Are the Blues?, 2015Duration: 1:04 minutesBlue Notes: Feelings 01, 2015 Duration: 0:15 loopThe Origin of the Blues, 2015Duration: 4:17 minutesB.A.M. aka By Any Means Inc., 2015Duration: 4:15 minutesThe Confuserella Show (AKA I Need A Shrink), 2012Duration: 5:14 minutesInstallation dimensions variableA commissioned work for NLE LabPhoto: Whitney BrowneCourtesy of No Longer Empty

13. Giorgio Guidi #2, 2015#1, 2015#3, 2015All works mixed media on paper20 x 30 inches each

At the Andrew Freedman Home, 1125 Grand Concourse:The Forum, 2015 Wood, oriented strand board, paperAll works commissioned for NLE LabPhoto: Whitney BrowneCourtesy of No Longer Empty

14. So Yoon Lym Left to right:Anthony, 2010Angel III, 2011Jhonathan, 2010All works acrylic on paper30 x 20 inches eachCourtesy of the artistPhoto: Whitney BrowneCourtesy of No Longer Empty

15. & 16. Elia AlbaLarry Levan Live!, 2006 Video: Masque (Larry Levan Live!)Duration: 22 minutesPhotographs:Larry Levan (Dominicano)Larry Levan (Blow)Larry Levan (Snake)Larry Levan (Two Larrys)All photographs RC photographic printAll masks photocopy transfers on muslin, fabric, thread, acrylicCourtesy of the artistPhoto: Whitney BrowneCourtesy of No Longer Empty

17. & 18. Linda Cunningham Surviving Then and Now: South Bronx Sagas, 2015Found construction elements, collage, dry wall, canvas, photo transfers, pastel, acrylic, mixed mediaInstallation dimensions variableA commissioned work for NLE LabPhoto: Whitney BrowneCourtesy of No Longer Empty

19. Amy PryorSky above 40°45’6”N 73°59’39”W, 2015Laser printInstallation dimensions variableA commissioned work for NLE LabPhoto: Whitney BrowneCourtesy of No Longer Empty

Image credits: NLE Lab Fall 2016

Dalaeja Foreman is a curator, community or-ganizer, first generation Caribbean-American and Brooklyn native. Her curatorial practice seeks to combat misconceptions of oppressed people and resistance through direct action, cultural esteem and the arts. Dalaeja graduated from the Visual Presentation and Exhibition Design program at the Fashion Institute of Technology, SUNY.

Emilia Shaffer-Del Valle graduated from Columbia University, where she studied English and Art History. She is most interested in research-based work that honors histories and thinks critically about contemporary society. Emilia approaches the arts as a vehicle for community building, and views it as an essential tool for education and change.

Eva Mayhabal Davis is a curator, educator, and producer dedicated to creating multifaceted, bilingual, and inclusive experiences in art spac-es. Davis has worked through art education at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and the Henry Art Gallery as well as in curatorial at the Bronx Museum of Arts.

Lindsey O’Connor Lindsey O’Connor’s research focuses on identity and community in public art, social practice, and visual culture. She has held positions at the American Federation of Arts, Solo-mon R. Guggenheim Museum, The Biennial of the Americas, Denver Art Museum, and Contemporary Arts Museum Houston.

Curatorial Lab Fall 2016

Mary Kay Judy is an Architectural Conservator and cultural heritage consultant based in Brooklyn, New York. Her diverse practice focuses on both the documentation of architectural history and technical conservation treatments for long-term, sustainable preservation. www.marykayjudy.com

Natasha Bunzl Natasha Bunzl has a B.A. in Comparative Literature and Italian from Cornell University. She is interested in how education can broaden access to Art and Literature, and how together they can amplify voices that are not often heard.

Paola Gallio is an independent curator from Italy. Her work’s focus is the rearrangment of the art scene post-2008 economic crisis and the interaction between the institutional art sys-tem and the independent art scene. She was the Director of Neon>FDV Space, coordinator of “Short Show”, she curator of “Spacioux” at the Lambret-to art project, Milan, “De©obstruction” Micamoca, Berlin Biennale, for Mariano Pichler collection and “Grand Tour Low Cost”, an art space sharing proj-ects between Milan and Brooklyn. She works and lives in Brooklyn.

Walter Puryear is a producer, and since 2012 has served as Director of The Andrew Freeman Home (AFH), a cultural center in the South Bronx. His current play, The Fall of the Kings, suits the AFH mission of bringing artists to the Bronx to create art that impacts the community.

Notes On Exhibitions, Curating, Art…Emilia Shaffer-Del Valle

an exhibition is:a foruma classrooma mirrora windowa corporeal sitea reactive spacea work of art

It is physically impermanent and its meanings are malleable (site-re-sponsive). It references history and the present, sociopolitical and cultural happenings, and reflects our communities. It responds to sight and to touch. It presents connectivity and dissonance, and thrives on discussion. It holds truths and subjectivities, and accrues both through-out its run.

a curator is:

a teachera studenta storytellera listenera writera thinkeran artist

She culls a diversity of artists and works of art. She unites creative forms under a relevant theme, and fosters conversation amongst them. She sees poetic value and formidable power in art, architecture, nature, and people; she links them across time and space. She learns from visitors – her essential collaborators who enter the exhibition with novel eyes, and imbue the space with knowledge and stories. She embraces the relative ephemerality of her work and welcomes a multiplicity of interpretations.

Lindsey O’Connor

Working in the South Bronx is both challenging and rewarding. How do you respectfully take up temporary residence in a neighborhood where you weren’t invited? How do you perform field research in an unfamiliar context without seeming opportunistic? How do you engage disparate communities in a dialogue without making assumptions or speaking on their behalf? In the end, what are your motives?

Whether we navigated these problematics successfully is perhaps not for us to decide. The South Bronx is at a precarious moment, as the ethos of Manhattan permeates the outer boroughs and dissolves the fibers of particularized place. The results of this shifting topography may be visible in months, or years, or decades; but what is certain is that the Bronx—as well as cities around the world in similarly unpre-dictable situations—is primed for change, either positive or negative. While it was our goal to crystalize the contentious and complicated nature of the current moment, as relative outsiders, it would be pre-sumptuous for us to definitively assert the results of our exhibition. Instead, it’s our job to listen.

Pensamientos en proceso... Intersecting Imaginaries...Eva Mayhabal Davis Navegue idioma. Navegue carreteras, navegue charlas de oficina, navegue llamadas telefónicas, pagar las cuentas, hacer los impues-tos, las visitas al médico. Al navegar y aprender fue por medio de la traducción y el aprender.

Constantemente viajar y pasar es el constante del inmigrante. El momento a través del lenguaje, miradas, palabras, pensamientos. El poder de las imágenes, aquí la imagen es vital. ¿A dónde voy, ¿qué digo, ¿qué puedo hacer yo aprendo a leer .... Esa señal.

Esa imagen, no tan lejana a la de nuestros antepasados que navega-ron con las estrellas, que navegaban por la tierra. Las constelaciones, carreteras y señales...Nuestros ojos nos llevaron aquí - ese mapa del tren numero cuatro, el camino hacia el centro, el verde, y las líneas de personas.

Todos estamos en un estado constante de la navegación con una ex-istencia, algunos más que otros, algunos resisten, algunos alentadores, otros en resistencia a resistir y otros alentando la resistencia.

Nos cambiamos, para navegar mejor, creamos nuevas herramientas, y creamos nuestras propias señales visuales, y por lo tanto la creación de un nuevo espacio para navegar y navegar entre fronteras.

Mary Kay Judy

It was a privilege for our “Intersecting Imaginaries” exhibition to be held in the former Concourse Plaza Hotel at 900 Grand Concourse. We only began to reveal its storied past, and barely scratched the surface in understanding its full historic and social significance, which is still evolving today.

In its early history, even after the completion of the Grand Concourse in 1909, the South Bronx remained predominantly rural, undeveloped and marked by its dramatic topography. On the naturally high prom-ontory that became 900 Grand Concourse two small wooden houses remained on the site until 1921 that would soon be replaced by the “Bronx Boosters” with a grand, ambitious 10-story hotel.

The hotel was built to coincide to with the construction of Yankees stadium a few blocks away, also completed in 1923. For decades after its completion it was the centerpiece of the Bronx, playing a integral role in the borough’s diverse social, civic and political life. By the 1970’s, the hotel’s luxury status had sharply declined and many local Bronx residents who lost their homes to arson and other hard-ships moved into the hotel. At the same time, in response to infrequent use of the ballroom and other formal spaces for high profile events, a popular disco and music club was created on the ground floor called “The Tunnel.”

The success of the club led to neighborhood complaints and oppo-sition until it was closed down by the city authorities. Soon afterwards, the once grand ballroom was gutted and the city began facilitating the conversion of the hotel into senior housing which is remains today. But the former Grand Concourse Plaza still has many stories to tell and secrets to be revealed.

Sources: The New York Times “Concourse Plaza Hotel” archivial articles 1921- 1982 accessed November 2015Robinson 1885 Bronx County MapBromley 1921 & 1965 Bronx mapsSanborn Bronx map 2012New York City Tax Photo collection from1940 and 1980

Dalaeja Foreman

Throughout this curatorial lab process, I’ve been awarded the oppor-tunity to further discover and rediscover myself and my zeal for the curators role. While developing our program “Panel Discussion: How can unite to preserve our communities?”, I realized, tangibly what art spaces can do to influence and encourage change. While working on Intersecting Imaginaries, gentrification was at the forefront of my mind, like it always is. Being a Brooklyn native, I’ve experienced first hand the trauma this catastrophe insights. I’ve seen businesses, cultural hubs and bits and pieces of identity be stripped from under our feet. This exhibition worked to represent this very conversation, the relationship between self/community an self/place are inseparable especially as our communities are one of the very few spaces of comfort, of freedom.

During the panel we discussed how the arts have worked for and against these changes, what can can we do to reclaim art spaces as community spaces versus pillars for gentrification? Also, what organi-zation tenants can look to for support as well as changing the mental-ity of what change looks like by tenants claiming the responsibility of this change. Creating tenat associations, cooperatives, having political education study sessions and fostering revolutionary community spac-es.

We also discussed the discomfort of people that unintentionally benefit from gentrification. We exposed how being an ally is impossible with-out compromising some privilege and truly listening to the oppressed. If we are going to engage in revolutionary thought, we need to also engage in revolutionary action. Which may mean discomfort, discom-fort that breeds progress.

The question becomes, how do we get people to care deeply about something they were’nt concerned with? And how do we transfer that concern into action? The arts are one of our many devices for change and talk can only get us so far.

Paola Gallio

Ho lavorato come curatore indipendente per anni, nel mio spazio, nella mia città, con artisti che conoscevo, i colleghi, nel mondo conoscevo e che avevo studiato. Poi tutto è cambiato, dicevano “La crisi”.

Forse sono cresciuta, o ne ho riconosciuti i limiti, ed ho fatto quello che avrei dovuto molto tempo prima: sono partita. Sono diventata un immigrato, con tutti i vantaggi di essere bianca, donna ed europea, con il lusso di poter viaggiare su un mezzo privilegiato invece di cam-minare il deserto, o di attraversare le acque.

Ho preso un aereo, le mie lauree, la mia esperienza, la mia spocchia e l’ho portati con me, ma varcato il confine una volta di troppo, l’im-migrazione ha rinchiuso me e tutte le mie sciocchezze in una stanza, terrorizzandomi con assurde domande e ipotesi di reato. Ho imme-diatamente capito che disfarsi dei pesi in eccesso avrebbe evitato in naufragio, ed ho abbracciato la condizione di “ALIENO” senza passato. Ci sono voluti anni per resettare i preconcetti, le prese di posizione unilaterali e l’idea malsana di qualcosa di dovuto, e gradualmente ho lasciato che i ganci alla mascella ricevuti quotidianamente, si trasfor-massero in un inizio. Ho imparato di nuovo.

Il primo giorno di lavoro nel Bronx, camminando stanca e assonna-ta verso l’Andrew Freedman home, ho fatto una sosta in un Deli per un caffè. L’uomo dietro al vetro alla cassa, incorniciato in una miriade di lottery tiket d’orati, mi lancia un’occhiata sospettosa chiedendomi: ”….prima volta nel Bronx, vero?” Ho risposto la verità. Ho pensato che fosse per il mio cappello….

Ho preso un caffè in quel Deli per quindici settimane ed ora l’uomo mi riconosce e sembra meno preoccupato. C’e’ un modo comune di preservare ciò che ci caratterizza, cio’ a cui apparteniamo, ma la vita è in una relazione aperta con il mondo, si tratta solo di trovare il modo di godersela.

Durante la mostra un visitatore ci ha raccomandato di continuare a organizzare mostre, di far circolare l’arte “…perché il mondo ha bisog-no di più arte e non di armi!”. Era il giorno dopo la sparatoria di San Bernardino.

Natasha Bunzl

In my 30 hours of gallery sitting at 900 Grand Concourse, I have lis-tened to many fascinating conversations: between visitors to the space, my co-curators, and even the works on display. These conversations have taught me to understand our work in a far more interesting and nuanced way. Only now do I have the words to explain that the maps under discussion in our exhibition are not exalted depictions of the unknown, but rather they are re-examinations of spaces all too famil-iar- teaching us new ways to navigate places which we already know. The dialogue between the works reveals itself at first quickly, and then more slowly. Immediately, one might see the distortion of celestial wonder at play in both Ariel Jackson’s video installation and Amy Pry-or’s commissioned star map. However, only after time, does the com-plicated relationship between revealing and concealing in the videos of Elia Alba and the artist pair Arthur Avilés and Nicolás Dumit Estévez come through. Though exceedingly different in feel and look, each of these videos celebrates queer existence, bringing underground identity to light. The pieces in this show ask us to reexamine everyday expe-rience, and challenge us to see what objects guide us through space without getting any credit. We see familiar sights from the surrounding Bronx neighborhood in the works of the Bronx Photo League and So Yoon Lym, depicted using time-intensive techniques. BPL documents the workers of Jerome Avenue with Hasselblad cameras, a medi-um-format camera from the 1940’s that requires keen knowledge of technical film photography. So Yoon paints hair salon “menus” with photographic detail, requiring that the viewer look closely to believe that they are not the work of a camera. It would take another 30 hours for me to recount and explain all the things that I have “heard” in this exhibit. Fortunately, we have had many returning visitors over the duration of the show; I imagine the works have been speaking to them as well. Sunday, December 13th will be a sad day when these works say goodbye to one another, but if you’ll forgive the slightly spiritual nature of this piece, I think they will remain enriched by the dialogue that they enjoyed together.

Special Thanks To:Andrew Freedman HomeBronx Council on the ArtsBronx Museum of the ArtsCharlie CrowellDeborah Cullen-MoralesEd García CondeJeffrey WalkowiakJennie K. LamensdorfJoshua HollowayKwame SorrellLarisa LeventonLindsay SmilowManon SlomeMid-Bronx Senior Citizens CouncilMiguel Luciano Naomi Hersson-RingskogPatra JongjitiratRachel GugelbergerResidency UnlimitedSara GuerreroShaun LeonardoSneha GangulyFriends and Family

DESIGN:Eva Mayhabal Davis Dalaeja ForemanPaola GallioEmilia Shaffer-Del Valle

Cover Image Credits:Lehman College Library (CUNY) CollectionsNew York Times image archivesVintage Grand Concourse Hotel postcards

NLE Curatorial Lab (Lab NLE) es un programa de desarrollo profesional impartido por No Longer Empty para cura-dores de arte emergentes interesados en adquirir experiencia práctica realizando una exposición site-responsive.

El NLE Lab del 2015 cuenta con el apoyo de Dedalus Foundation, Puffin Foundation y con fondos públicos de New York City Department of Cultural Affairs en colaboración con el City Council.

NLE Curatorial Lab (NLE Lab) is a professional development program of No Longer Empty for emerging curators interested in gaining practical experience curating a site-responsive exhibition. NLE Lab is designed as a socially con-scious platform for experimentation in curating.

The 2015 NLE Lab is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and by the Dedalus Foundation and Puffin Foundation.

E 161 S

T

E 167 S

T

ANDREW FEEDMAN HOUSE

GRAND CONCOURSE

M 4

M D B

From November 19th

to December 13th 2015

OPENING RECEPTION

November 19th

7 pm to 10pm

HOURS

WED TO FRI 2 TO 8 PM

SAT TO SUN 12 TO 6 PMcontact email:

lab@nolongerempty.org

INTERSECTING IMAGINARIES900 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY, 10451

(at the Corner of 161st)

DIRECTIONS Public Transportation

Bus: BxM4/Bx2/Bx1/Bx6/Bx13 Subway: DB

ELIA ALBA

SADIE BARNETTE

BRONX DOCUMENTARY CENTER

LINDA CUNNINGHAM

NICOLAS DUMIT ESTEVEZ AND ARTHUR

AVILES

ARIEL JACKSON

JEROME AVE. WORKERS PROJECT

GIORGIO GIUDI

JOSUE GUARIONEX

SO YOON LYM

LAURA NAPIER

AMY PRYOR

ANNE PERCOCO AND ELLY LEONS

DAVID SHROBE

MANUELA VIERA GALLO