Thanks to everyone who helped make this incredible and successful exhibition of new and experimental art on Governors Island during the summer of 2008!
Photo image: EMERGENCE artcodex (Glen Einbinder, Mike Estabrook, Brian Higbee, Vandana Jain, Ernest Concepcion, Dormafe Baluyos-Fox, Dorothy Royle) "The War Show: im/Migration of Species", 2008 Soil, fluorescent light bulbs, seeds, water, and small plastic bags Site specific installation with various dimensions
Concept: "The main aspect of our project is a "plant war" between native and non-native seedlings of Governors Island. Visitors are encouraging to create a parallel exhibition/war in the natural world of the city. Visitors are advised to "vote" for either the native or the non-native plants by taking the appropriate packet.
Participate: Rows of seed packets are provided to the audience to take and plant them in vacant lots. Depending on the heritage of the seeds inside, the packets will contain either a kraft or a white paper that has instructions on planting the seeds. Underneath each packet is a symbol, adding an element of chance and fun to the participation.
Photo image: EMERGENCE Damon Hamm "Toy Piano (Stanley)", 2007 Toy piano, wood, electronics 7.5" x 12" x 12"
Concept: As an old building of classical style, this sculpture fits with the antique motif. It may appear that these items were uncovered remnants of some previous military operation to monitor the growth of the population across the water. Scientific in form, this sculpture speak to the process of discovery. Without instruction, participants must create their own path or work with others to solve the mysteries of the objects in front of them.
Participate: A child’s toy piano is transformed into an interactive work aimed at adults that teaches binary counting by means of pattern repetition (i.e. “Simon Says”).
Erik Fabian "No Rules: Governors Island Edition", 2008 Performance - Two chairs, small table, and set of rules Duration varies (Sunday 6/29, Saturday 7/26 at 12:30 PM both days) Concept: A simple imagination game of offense and defense. This game unveils a series of impending dooms that befall the City of New York, to which a series of bold counter attacks are carried out in the nick of time. It places the heroic Governors Island between beloved New York City and utter destruction. Participate: "Two players pick either the role of IMPENDING DOOM or GOVERNORS ISLAND. The IMPENDING DOOM player imagines (and describes aloud) a specific threat to New York City, and the GOVERNORS ISLAND player has one chance to save New York by imagining and describing aloud some defense. Play continues following this attack-and-defend pattern until one player mistakenly repeats themselves (and loses) or both players agree to stop and call the game a draw."
Photo/video credit: EMERGENCE The Friendly Falcons and Their Friend the Snake (Jeff Kurosaki & Tara Pelletier) "The 10 penny hi top", 2008 Performance with papier-mâché animals 40 minutes (Sunday 6/29, Saturday 7/26 at 3:00 PM both days)
Concept: A game show that encourages a competitive spirit, highlighted with imagination and having fun rather than on winning a prize. It is simultaneously an ode, a satire and a critique of the consequences of settling and the pursuit of happiness in colonial times, and as they still exist today.
Participate: Contestants of The 10 penny hi top will be chosen on a voluntary basis at the beginning of each show. They wear animal masks and play fun games. Give over to your imagination, where pig's butts will fly, nails will be tossed, and golden peanuts will be found.
Photo image: EMERGENCE G-77 (Marguerite Day, Fred Fleisher, Mary Mattingly, David Smith) "Seeding the Future", 2008 Installation of plastic orb, small notepads, and acrylic globe Site specific installation with various dimensions
Concept: History is not written in stone, and those who have the power often write history in ways to benefit themselves. This piece seeks to engage a more open and multi-perspective view of history and truth, creating possibilities for empowerment, for new perspectives, and for energy and power to overflow the eroded banks of conventional systems and to be available to everyone. This installation is a time capsule that references human knowledge and indigenous flora on site in 2008.
Participate: Viewers can contribute their 21st Century thoughts, recollections, musings, insights, and sketches; in addition to G-77's seeds gathered from Governors Islands to the G-77 / G.I. Seed & Time Capsule. The Capsule will be buried for future generations to unearth in order to learn about this particular moment in time. A virtual version of the capsule will be created on a secure server, potentially becoming an invaluable source for historical data.
Photo image: EMERGENCE Sarah Nicole Phillips "98°", 2008 Temperature sensitive screenprint 14" x 22"
Concept: "98° serves as a metaphor for the effect that visitors will have on Governors Island. Over time, the island’s function and landscape will be determined by the people, changing inevitably as it has so often in the past. The title 98° refers to the approximate body temperature of humans on the Fahrenheit scale as well as a cartographer’s unit of measurement.
Participate: The image of Governors Island is printed with regular green ink and the surrounding waterway is printed with thermochromic (heat-sensitive) dark blue ink that disappears at a set temperature. Participants may touch the image with a warm body part. The blue ink on this print disappears when it reaches human body temperature. As the ink heats up, it will disappear. For optimal results, be patient and touch the map for longer periods of time.
Triangle Project (Artist group who is collectively based in Denmark, Turkey and US) "Red's Pyramid", 2008 GRID-System squares Site specific installation with various dimensions
Concept: Artists from Copenhagen, Denmark and Istanbul, Turkey, hand carried these white cubes to from Copenhagen to New York City. The purpose of this act is to challenge airport security's intelligence and common sense. With the curbes securely in the hands of these artists, they will build a structure that stands for power and enlightenment. They will arrange the squares to form the base of the pyramid, and continue to build it together to achieve the same goal.
Participate: Participants will be given squares to help complete the pyramid with the artist collective. The exchange of ideas and stories while building this structure will stimulate the energy that is theoretically emanated from the pyramid. Upon completion of the apex, participants are free to deconstruct and reconstruct the edifice, with the help of other viewers.
Photo image: EMERGENCE Triangle Project / Finishing School "Pass / Detect ", 2008 Wood and electronics 100" x 32" x 20" Concept: Pass / Detect (2006) is a publicly placed and unmonitored object that safely employs classified technology and criteria to detect specific targets. The work musters both unresolved concern and curiosity via sounding an alarm. Viewers react differently to various means of security measures, as do participants who reinforce safeguards, surveillance and defense. Participate: Participants are welcome to walk through the wooden frame. Pass / Detect alarm is controlled by secret technology embedded in the structure. If detected, an alarm will sound.
Urban Homesteading Project (Francisca Caporali, Laura Grace Chipley, Pilar Ortiz) "Summer Homestead", 2008 Performance Wooden frame of plants in recycled plastic bottles Duration varies (Sunday 6/22 & 6/29, Saturday 7/26 at 4:00 PM all days)
Concept: Over nine weeks, the structure will be gradually insulated with salvaged plastic bottles, re-purposed as receptacles for organic life. Within each bottle, living plants are cultivated in either soil or water.The dialogue and interaction initiated through the construction of the homestead in tandem with planting, cultivating, and harvesting is integral to sustainability. The collaboration between artists and audience patterns a simple model of a community.
Participate: Viewers are invited to donate plastic bottles and participate in the planting process. At the end of the summer, the wood skeleton will be recycled and the plants will be given away; transplanted to a new place in which to grow roots and emerge.
...was a summer exhibition of experimental and participatory art involving more than 30 artists / collectives, with a strong emphasis on audience and artist interaction. The exhibition opened on May 31st, which was coinciding with the grand opening of Governors Island to visitors for
the 2008 season.
The Governors Island Ferry departs from the Battery Maritime Building at 10 South Street, in Lower Manhattan. This is the old green building from 1908 that is immediately to the left of the Staten Island Ferry building on the East Side of Lower Manhattan. Please see the Governors Island website for more information.
The easiest way to get to the Battery Maritime Building via public transportation is by the #1 train to South Ferry Station, the 4/5 trains to Bowling Green Station, or the W/R trains to Whitehall Street Station.
Interns
Alex Overington, Amanda Gilmore, Karyn Bulow, Kimberly Anderson, Maxim de Turckheim, Sara Barth, Shay Cornelius
Special Thanks
Opening Day: Alex, Karen & the EMERGENCE Greeters, Alysia Dipaola, Jen Small, Estrella Martinez, Nick Greenwald & Mathew Brennan, Tim Mitchell, Michael Mastroianni, O-Man and Ed Vessel, Grace & Daniel Manalo, BETSEY, Jenn Su.
Documentation: Filmmaker Hsuan-Yu Pan, Photographer David B. Smith, Videographer Francisca Caporali, and Time-lapse video genius Chris Jordan.
