There are certain rites of spring that define the season – the blossoming Cherry Esplanade at BBG, commencement ceremonies, the return of ice cream cones and rose wine.  For the artists and patrons of the Brooklyn Waterfront Artist Coalition, spring time signals a fresh new season of art shows and performances. To begin BWAC’s fortieth year, opening May 13, The 2017 Spring Shows:  Wide Open 8, the Recycle Show and the 25th Annual Spring Pier Show: Rites of Spring. 
 
As inspiration to participating artists, Rites of Spring show chair Anna  Annus Hagen referenced Rainer Maria Rilke’s poem, Early Spring.   As a result, the light-filled, airy galleries are filled with images of renewal and regeneration.  Over 150 artists are exhibiting.

Wide Open 8, a national juried show presents 120 works selected from more than 1500 submissions, by artists all around the country. Esteemed juror Cara Manes, Assistant Curator in the Department of Painting and Sculpture at MoMA, selected pieces of virtually every medium, including painting, photography, mixed media, sculpture and installation – it was completely wide open.  Manes had this to say:   I was impressed by both the breadth and caliber of the artists' creative production, and I look forward to seeing the show come together.

Recycle 2017showcases art crafted from cast-off, discarded and repurposed materials, and the pieces selected will certainly impress, amaze and amuse.   Says Harriet Taub, Executive Director of Materials for the Arts and the show’s juror: 

The opening reception on May 13th features RB FIVE.  Richard Bennett and his irreverent group of NY improvisers will perform selections from his upcoming Ropeadope Records release Experiments in Truth as well as “other vital, groovalicious and transcendent tunes.”  Come add to the giant installation string sculpture made of reused yarn, ribbon, and rope with NYC’s premier reuse facility, Materials for the Arts, a unit of the Department of Cultural Affairs.  And cast your vote for Wide Open 8 and Recycle Peoples’ Choice Awards.

A full complement of live music and special events are planned for every day the galley is open.  There is a Sunday multi-genre music series that includes performances granted by The Jazz Foundation of America; and a Saturday reading series with a wondrous variety of NY wordsmiths.   On June 3, to complement the Recycle show, SIMS Municipal Recycling in Sunset Park is again sponsoring a special film - Fold Crumple Crush: The Art of El Anatsui about the Ghanese artist who converts used bottle tops into huge, opulent wall hangings.  Admission to the gallery and all its special events is free, donations gladly accepted.

BWAC’s 25,000 sf Civil War-era gallery is located at a spectacular waterfront site overlooking the Statue of Liberty and New York Harbor.  It is across from the Fairway supermarket and down the block from IKEA in the Red Hook section of Brooklyn, set amidst trendy boutiques and restaurants.  Accessible by public transportation and biking is a breeze! 

 
Saturday, May 13th

Music by RBS-jazz pianist Richard Bennett and his irreverent group of NY improvisers.

And there ill be a really fun collaborative art installation where visitors will be invited to  help build a giant string sculpture, made of reused yarn, ribbon, and rope, with NYC's premier reuse facility.  Materials for the Arts, a unit of the Department of Cultural Affairs.

Sunday, May 14th

Performance by singer, songwriter, and progressive folk musician, Zac Messick, 3PM

Other special events are planned for every day of the show - including the Sunday performance series and Saturday reading series, which aims to celebrate and savor the wondrous variety of Brooklyn-based wordsmiths.

The show is open weekends 1-6 PM and runs through June 18.

481 Van Brunt Street (Door 7) in Red Hook

718-596-2506

email bwacinfo@aol.com

for more information, go to bwac.org

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Saturday, October 8th and Sunday, October 9th 1-6PM

The Fall Group Art Shows in BWAC’s funky Civil War-era warehouse gallery on Red Hook’s scenic pier are filled with 25,000sf of art in all mediums, in a wide variety of styles, and in four distinctly different exhibits:  Brooklyn is…. a narrative show of some 200 artists; Art in Clay 4, exhibiting the power of clay to say almost anything; the really really Affordable Art Show, a juried show where really really great bargains are to be found, and Grand Installations - very different yet all dramatic installations interspersed throughout the galleries.  Multiple special events are planned for every single day of the show.  It’s jam-packed with concerts in many music genres as well written word programs which aim to celebrate and savor the wondrous variety of local wordsmiths.

Saturday October 8th:

Jazz guitarist,  Sasha Kolontyrsky, 2PM

Learning Curves -  an installment by educators, in reading series The Word Cabaret, 4PM

Sunday, October 9th:

Singer, songwriter J.R. Rost, 2PM

Singer songwriter Sam Rasiotis  (of the Astoria band Dirty Wings) performs with multi-instrumentalist Rachel Swaner, 4PM

The show is open weekends 1-6PM and runs until Sunday, October 16.

481 Van Brunt (Door 7) in Red Hook 11231

718-596-2506

bwac.org

On 10/1, 2:00 PM, Brooklyn based songwriter Zac Messick, and at 4:00PM, The Repressions, NYC’s only art-therapy-funk-rock vaudeville band.

On 10/2, 2:00PM, a solo performance by Tom Fitzpatrick, and at 4:00PM, Roots revivalist Victor V. Gurbo and his band. The show is open weekends 1-6PM and runs until Sunday, October 16.

481 Van Brunt (Door 7) in Red Hook 11231

718-596-2506

bwac.org

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Attracting more than 2,500 people from all over New York, elected officials, and almost 100 participating community-based businesses, nonprofits, and local talent, the Fall Festival highlights distinct neighborhood culture while celebrating a shared Southwest Brooklyn identity.

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Attracting more than 2,500 people from all over New York, elected officials, and almost 100 participating community-based businesses, nonprofits, and local talent, the Fall Festival highlights distinct neighborhood culture while celebrating a shared Southwest Brooklyn identity.

Saturday, August 13th:

1:30PM—Melding elements of rock, folk, country and blues into their music, Fitz, Callan and Biggs

3:30PM—Singer/songwriter, Al Lee Wyer

 Closing day, Sunday, August 14th:

2:00PM—Singer/songwriter, Matt Wiffen

4:00PM—Put in a winning bid at the Silent Affordable Auction (where bids start as low as $30)

The show is open 1PM-6PM.  

 481 Van Brunt (Door 7) in Red Hook. 

718- 596-2506 email bwacinfo@aol.com

or for more information, go to bwac.org

BWAC’s second show, COLOR, is curated by Lilian Tone, Assistant Curator for the Museum of Modern Art.  Close to 1800 pieces were submitted, which Tone had to whittle down to 100.  Says Tone of the show, “Color is addressed from an enormous variety of viewpoints, subject matters, media, and styles.”

Saturday, August 6 

1:30 PM--Ben Absurdo.  Astoria-based musician and writer Ben Absurdo (1/2 of The Repressions) melds poetry and anarchy into philosophy-punk over the white-hot furnace of his traumatized guitar.

4:00 PM--The Word Cabaret.  Guest curator Charles Gariepy will host this installment of our favorite long-running spoken word series.

Sunday, August 7

1:30 PM--Singer-songwriter Braxton Hicks.  Braxton Hicks is an energetic and talented singer-songwriter whose music is a unique mixture of styles and sounds.  You’ll hear shades of Broadway, New Orleans, Rock ‘n Roll, American popular standards, and even classical music in his finely crafted pop tunes.  The lyrics tell stories of love and deception, celebration and pain.

3:30 PM--Harry Oppenheimer.  Harry Oppenheimer has been playing Mountain Dulcimer for thirty years. He is a frequent performer at the Conference House Staten Island, the ETG Book Cafe, The Raritan Bay Festival, The Muddy Cup and The Perking Latte. In addition, he has played at numerous art exhibits and at the New Hope Art Festival. Employed by Historic Richmond town as a teacher, historical Interpreter and musician, he has been a workshop leader and performer at the 2014 Nutmeg Dulcimer Festival and the 2015 Cranberry Dulcimer and Autoharp Gathering

Special events:

Saturday, June 11th 2pm: In conjunction with the Recycle show of art made from re-purposed materials, a screening of Trash Dance, an inspiring documentary about dance, creativity and dirty work, sponsored by SIMS Municipal Recycling

 4pm:The Word Cabaret reading series: Brooklyn-based wordsmiths, A Bandolier of Breuckelen Bards with Sarah Fetherhoff, Aimee Herman, Mike Jukovic, Janice Lowe and Michael Ruby

Sunday June 12th--last day of our show 2pm: pianist Jimmy Hill, R&B, blues and jazz legend at 

4pm: Put in a winning bid at the Silent Affordable auction.

The show is open weekends 1-6PM

481 Van Brunt (Door 7) in Red Hook.

718- 596-2506

bwacinfo@aol.com

bwac.org

Roode Hoek, a celebration of Red Hook’s Dutch past leading up its multicultural present where ~200 BWAC artists are exhibiting; Wide Open 7, a national juried show selected by Metropolitan Museum assistant curator, Beth Saunders with 120 pieces in all media, chosen from over 1900 submissions;  Recycle, juried by Harriet Taub of NYC’s Materials for the Arts, which has introduced many of our visitors to the new re-use genre. 65 pieces are exhibited.

Special music events:

Saturday, June 4th: Today’s performances are Sam Rasiotis of Astoria’s Dirty Wings, performing gritty, reflective Alt-Americana, rooted in location and relations, with inventive, paired down popular alt-rock and pop interpretations.1:30PM

And The Word Cabaret program:  “Roode Hoek” Revels:  Five Writers Read Fiction with Hal Ackerman, Melissa Lewis-Ackerman, Mary McGuigan, Joe Pfister and Tim Tomlinson, 4PM

Sunday June 5th: Today’s performances are Alex Kolontyrsky, guitarist on the NYC jazz scene, bringing beauty to everyday life. 1:30PM  

Angel Band -their music and members span generations of the American roots, folk, country and spiritual. 3:30PM

The show is open weekends 1-6PM and runs through June 12

481 Van Brunt (Door 7) in Red Hook.

718- 596-2506

bwacinfo@aol.com

or for more information, go to bwac.org

Special music events on Saturday May 14, 2016 and Sunday May 15th, 2016

Saturday, May 14th: the acoustic performance series, UnPlugged in Red Hook.  At 3:00 p.m., Jazz performance with David Segal (piano) and Seth Fahey (bass)

Sunday May 15th: Two unplugged in Red Hook in Red Hook concerts today: At 1:00 p.m., the eccentric and eclectic music of Rome 56, and at 3:00 p.m. is the bit country, bit bluesy, and bit rock 'n roll music of Jim Petrie.

The show is open weekends 1-6PM and runs through June 12

481 Van Brunt (Door 7) in Red Hook.

718- 596-2506

email bwacinfo@aol.com

or for more information, go to bwac.org

Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition (BWAC) gallery presents the 24th annual Spring Pier Show, Sat May 7th to Sunday June 12th, weekends, 1pm to 6pm. 

There will be two juried shows, Wide Open 7 and Recycle, and in the upstairs galleries, our members show, with a variety of media, aesthetics, and points of view.

Meet the artists at the opening reception on May 7th.  And throughout the day, Paula Jeanne sings and swings with her jazz ensemble, the Spring is Here Quartet.

Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition

499 Van Brunt St., Red Hook, Brooklyn 11231

718-596-2507 (weekends)

718-596-2506 (weekdays)

200+ local artists will be showing work that addresses turmoil at any scale, geopolitical and personal crises alike. The show will contain works critical and comical, traditional and digital, flat and 3D. There is a special juried section World Out of Order, where Problems such as homelessness, poverty and hunger are addressed and 25% of the sales will be donated to charities. 

Out of Order

Come see for yourself how artists from all around the country have responded to the challenge "What is color?" - in large scale installations, works on canvas, assemblage, photography, mixed media, fabric art and sculpture. 100 pieces were selected out of the 1740 submissions received, by esteemed juror, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum Assistant Curator, Lauren Hinkson.

Best Regards,

Cynthia

Attached files

Noon to 4pm at 100 Sullivan St, right off Van Brunt.

https://www.facebook.com/events/286011738179415/

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www.snaptrucknyc.com