Local residents may have noticed some new public art popping up across the Brooklyn Bridge Park and DUMBO Improvement District.
"It's always a thrill to get to showcase Brooklyn artists,” said DUMBO Improvement District president Alexandria Sica. “We've got the backdrop and they've got the talent. These works of art are going to delight everyone who heads to DUMBO and the waterfront this summer.”
The DUMBO Improvement District and Brooklyn Bridge Park recently began installing its barricade cover designs, which feature 11 different designs created by nine local artists.
"Brooklyn Bridge Park has a long history of bringing art to parkgoers and the neighborhood, and we’re so excited about this project with the DUMBO BID,” said Sarah Krauss, vice president of public affairs for the park. “We are grateful to the artists for their amazing work, transforming steel barricades into a gorgeous display of art, color, community and joy.”
The art pieces will rotate throughout the neighborhood and park over the next two years with the goal of enlivening the streets and creating a spirit of togetherness.
The barricade covers will be installed in various locations and will also be used for street closures at community events.
The feature artist and works include:
Footprint by Acrylicize
Acrylicize is a multidisciplinary studio based in New York that is made up of artists, designers, creatives and craftsmen.
“We are exploring the details that make Dumbo unique. Through space and activity, a bold expression of the local flair comes to life. We’ve developed a series of patterns and colors that personify the simple things that make DUMBO unique,” said the artist of Footprint.
I Saw An Elephant by Alexey Tishkin
Tishkin is a music video maker, artist and songwriter.
“Anyone who has visited the DUMBO area for the first time will easily recognize themselves in my art,” said Tishkin. “Dumbo liberates and surprises. A variety of people strive here for impressions and always experience genuine children's delight from what they see. About the same when a child sees a live elephant for the first time.”
“Probably DUMBO's most important attraction is the view of the Manhattan Bridge from Washington Street, and thanks to the name, DUMBO's symbol is an elephant. I'll be completely honest with you – take a closer look: the Manhattan Bridge, in front of which an enthusiastic audience gathers, casts the shadow of an elephant. Check it out,” Tishkin said.
Landscape: Everything and Everyone by Faye Harnest
Harnest is an illustrator from Canada who is new to Brooklyn. She is a certified braille transcriber and focuses on disability art, graphic medicine and public art installations.
“Landscape: Everything to Everyone uses bright colors and bold shapes to represent the remarkable physical features of the landscape around it and the diversity of the people joining it: the excitement that comes from everything and everyone being here together,” said Harnest.
DUMBO Is Where Friends and Waters Meet and DUMBO Is For Artists and Lovers by Isa Marcello
Marcello is an oil and gouache artist. Her work often merges oil painting with digital media and written word.
DUMBO Delicacies and DUMBO Mandala by Ji Yong Kim
Born in South Korea, Kim is often inspired by his experience in Myanmar where he spent his adolescent years.
Kim, who now lives and works in Brooklyn, focuses on drawings and paintings that investigate parallels between formal abstraction, Buddhist spirituality and popular culture.
"DUMBO Mandala depicts features found in DUMBO, arranged in mandala format,” said Kim. “On the outer border, there is a simplified architectural arch of bridges. Four different languages spell out “DUMBO”, highlighting global tourists visiting this area from around the world. Four different smiling emojis with varying patterns demarcate the borders. In the center of the work, we see the iconic image of DUMBO with the Manhattan Bridge framing the Empire State Building. This is surrounded by four windows of elements commonly found in DUMBO; rolling clouds, cobblestone roads, splashing water and green plants.”
Life is so Beautiful by Leysan Nigmatova
Nigmatova is a Brooklyn-based artist that was born and raised in Russia. She is constantly exploring new techniques and mediums.
“As an artist, I am always inspired by the beauty of life. Through my work, I convey the joy and wonder that I feel when I contemplate the world around me. I strive to fill my creation with a sense of awe and gratitude that I feel for life,” said Nigmatova.
“I believe that art has the power to remind us of the beauty and wonder of life, even in the midst of difficulty and hardship. Life is challenging yet delights us. Life unfolds all its colors and teaches us through its shades. And so, my work reflects the colorful rhythm, dynamic and joy of life that unites us. It is a simple reminder of how wonderful it is to see, sing, listen, dream and so on. By creating work that celebrates the richness of existence, I hope to inspire others to embrace life with open hearts and minds. Ultimately, my work is a reflection of my passion for life and my belief in its ability to inspire, educate and transform. I hope that my art serves as a reminder that no matter what challenges we may face, life is so beautiful,” Nigmatova continued.
Between the Bridges by Mitzie Wong
Wong is a painter, designer and product maker living and working in DUMBO, Brooklyn. Her work is often inspired by walks along the East River.
Abstract by Vanessa Alvarez Diaz
Diaz is a muralist and visual artist from Spain who is now based in Brooklyn.
"With this piece called Abstract, I am looking for a conversation between the public space, the viewer and the art. Created with masses and vibrant colors, Abstract has its own shapes, movement and feelings. A dynamic work full of optimism, for a place that also has those qualities, DUMBO,” Diaz said.
DUMBO in the morning by Williams B. Perez
Perez is a visual communicator who draws inspiration from his Hispanic heritage in drawings and digital art.
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