New York, October 2, 2023 (updated) — Korea Art Forum (KAF) is excited to announce the fifth and final outdoor iteration of the 2023 Shared Dialogue, Shared Space (SDSS), a participatory art event that will take place on October 21st from 12–4 pm at the peninsula and front side of Inwood Hill Park, Manhattan. With a theme of an Alternative Manhattan Project, this Social Practice CUNY fellowship project brings together artists who will be presenting their community-oriented and thought-provoking works of participatory art to engage the community in conversations on peacebuilding.

 

The artists will imagine an alternative history, inquiring what if peace-building efforts in the early 1940s were carried out through art and human interactions instead of the development of weapons of mass destruction. Their explorations will manifest as a participatory art event in the outdoor settings at Inwood Hill Park in Manhattan. This event promises to be a day of immersive art experiences that connect immigrant communities and underserved ethnic enclaves in New York City to visual arts and culture. 

 

The SDSS event in Manhattan is part of a series of Saturday participatory art initiatives presented for free in NYC Parks and Public Places. Since 2020, SDSS programs have connected the public, focusing on immigrant communities, people with disabilities, and those with economic hardship, to art and culture through language access and participatory art activities. For this event, KAF has invited nine artists and teams to create new collaborative work with local communities. 

 

Stephanie Alvarado and Nancy Paredes will take and preserve portraits of community members for future memories, elevating the significance of history writing, particularly in BIPOC communities. Yeon Jin Kim and Noelle Salaun continues creating collective Jogakbos, advancing the Korean art and craft form of fabric patchwork practiced by women that deserves more widespread attention. Moses Ros will invite participants to make Repróllage that combines printmaking and collage of recycled materials. Minshik Shin will visualize the abstract form of democracy and create opportunities for people to integrate art into their daily lives. The Square Theatre will invite community members to be part of a dialogic performance that uses collected questions to connect immigrant experiences.  SPCUNY Queens College Fellows brandon king, and V Tineo will also be sharing interactive, community-oriented, participatory works of art. king will share sound design skills and conversations about peace. Tineo will give balloon flowers to connect with participants.

 

This event also marks the Opening Day of temporary installations of public art by SDSS artists who’ve been making participatory art over the past year, collecting small works made at various parks as a part of SDSS. These installations are a culmination of their year-long efforts, presenting larger pieces, which provide a moment for reflection on all the activities that have transpired throughout the year. 

 

Two month-long installations include Minshik hanging his large paintings on fences, Yeon Jin showing two of her Jogakbo work on lampposts in the park, and Nancy and Stephanie showing their photography banners on the rails of a bridge. Moses will engage the community and youth in creating a mural on an existing container that will stay for a year.

 

SDSS is a project that fosters dialogues between the audience and artists, exploring a wide range of subject matters and the multidimensional impact of art in the processes of cultural production and social change, particularly to disrupt rising anti-Asian sentiments and racial divides that are entrenched in all sectors of American life. KAF has offered artist-run workshops, performances, and participatory activities to the public, focusing on populations with limited English proficiency and other barriers free of charge, with translation services in English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, and ASL at local parks embedded in the community. 

 

For the past 3 years, Shared Dialogue, Shared Space has broadened channels of communication between the contemporary art world and local communities in New York City, advancing the artists’ creative endeavors of engaging the public. This year’s event promises to be an engaging experience that showcases the diverse talents and perspectives of the artists and the community. Join us on October 21 from 12–4 p.m. in Inwood Hill Park, Manhattan for a day of immersive art experiences that celebrate the power of art in shaping our communities. Immediately following this event, we’ll be having an opening reception at Buunni Coffee from 4:30–6:30 p.m. Admission is free, and all are welcome to attend.

 

Upcoming Program Summary:

 

SDSS: Alternative Manhattan Project

at the Peninsula of Inwood Hill Park, Manhattan, Saturday, October 21, 2023, from 12 to 4 p.m. followed by an Opening Reception

at Buunni Coffee from 4:30 to 6:30.

(4961 Broadway, New York, NY 10034,

between 207 St and Isham St on Broadway)

 

Join artists Stephanie Alvarado with Nancy Paredes; Yeon Jin Kim with Noelle Salaun; brandon king; Moses Ros; Minshik Shin; The Square Theater; and V Tineo. Engage with their artwork and participate in their unique creative processes. Experience a day of immersive art experiences that showcase the diverse talents and perspectives of the artists and the community.