Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
Restoration of the Exodus and Dance Freeze is a culmination of
a multi year effort led by NICA and public housing residents to
save and restore the historic artwork and preserve the
community's unique history through an oral history project,
art programming and soon to be installed.
Story Walk Today was the cut of the ribbon on a historic art
(00:21):
conservation project in the Kingsborough Houses, a 16 acre
public housing complex located in the Crown Heights
neighborhood of Brooklyn. The project was partly funded
and made possible by the Mellon Foundation and New York City
Council funds. This effort is a part of Nika S
Connected Communities program, which is focused on transforming
(00:43):
and modernizing open spaces by implementing public private
partnerships. The program S efforts are based
on participatory planning and design and strive to enhance
physical and social connections between residents and their
communities. The Exodus and Dance Restoration
is the project's first phase andis a groundbreaking endeavor
(01:05):
that transforms the historic 80 foot freeze.
Exodus and Dance, created by renowned artist Richmond Barth
in 1939 and installed on the campus in 1941, depicts scenes
of biblical imagery and dance motifs to convey spirituality,
community and joy. The work is the recipient of the
(01:25):
2025 Moses Award for Preservation Projects by the New
York Landmark Conservancy. The restoration involved
carefully removing the Freeze from the wall and transporting
it to a conservation studio and building a new wall to serve as
the base for the freeze. Commonly referred to as the Wall
by Kingsborough residents, the restoration preserves the
(01:48):
community's deep connection to Black migration, theater and
dance history. The Freeze is the largest piece
of art created by Barth, who is widely recognized for his
sculptural work collected by anddisplayed at the Whitney Museum
of Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Through a unique blend of art conservation and community
(02:09):
engagement, the project celebrates and reflects the rich
cultural heritage of NICCAR residents and their storied
histories in New York City, fostering A deeper connection
between the past and present. A second phase, organized by a
Story Walk Design and Community Engagement consultant team and
informed by a stakeholder advisory group, includes story
(02:32):
walks highlighting the communityas shared histories, memories
and aspirations. Creative Urban Alchemy LLC, led
by architect Ivioma IBO and Jerome Hayford Studio DPC,
worked through an iterative design process with residents to
culminate in a vibrant public space.
In addition, the open space around the freeze will be
(02:55):
transformed by improved lighting, seating and new
community inspired murals on thebackside of the wall.
Before his passing, the project was led by the artist in
residence, Larry Weeks, president of the Fulton Art Fair
Incorporated. The expected completion for the
story Walk is Fall 2025. In 2019, Nicker received 1.8
(03:21):
million in funding for this project from former City Council
Speaker Corey Johnson and formerCity Council member Ellicott and
Price Samuel, which helped lead to the additional 2,000,000
grant from the Mellon Foundation.
This funding supported the capital restoration, an Artist
in Residency program, oral history project, and the
(03:43):
installation of Nika S 1st StoryWalk to be completed later this
year. The project aims to set a
precedent for similar initiatives across Nika
developments, inspiring future partnerships and investments in
art conservation, artist in residence programs and community
engagement. Together, the project elements
(04:04):
seek to preserve Kingsborough houses, cultural heritage and
Black history. The collaborative programs
between the PHCF and NIKA enrichparticipatory planning and
design and strive to enhance physical and social connections
between residents and their communities.
About the Public Housing Community Fund The Public
(04:25):
Housing Community Fund is an independent, not-for-profit
organization that creates and leverages resources and
relationships to enhance the opportunities and quality of
life for New York City Housing Authority NIKA residents and
their communities while uplifting the importance of
public housing in New York City.www.communityfund.nyc.
(04:47):
About the New York City Housing Authority Nika The New York City
Housing Authority Nika, the largest public Housing Authority
in North America, was created in1934 to provide decent
affordable housing for low and moderate income New Yorkers.
Nika is home to one in 17 New Yorkers providing affordable
(05:10):
housing to 520,808 authorized residents through public housing
and Permanent Affordability Commitment together packed
programs, as well as Section 8 housing.
Nika has 177,569 apartments in 2411 buildings across 335
(05:33):
conventional public housing and packed developments.
In addition, Nikka connects residents to critical programs
and services from external and internal partners with a focus
on economic opportunity, youth, seniors, and social services.
With a housing stock that spans all 5 boroughs, Nikka is a city
(05:55):
within a city. About The Andrew W Mellon
Foundation The Andrew W Mellon Foundation is the nation's
largest supporter of the arts and humanities.
Since 1969, the Foundation has been guided by its core belief
that the humanities and arts areessential to human
understanding. The Foundation believes that the
(06:18):
arts and humanities are where weexpress our complex humanity and
that everyone deserves the beauty, transcendence and
freedom that can be found there.Through our grants, we seek to
build just communities, enrichedby meaning and empowered by
critical thinking, where ideas and imagination can thrive.
(06:39):
About Weeksville Heritage CenterWeeksville Heritage Center is an
historic site and Cultural Center in central Brooklyn that
uses education, arts and a social justice lens to preserve,
document and inspire engagement with the history of Weeksville,
one of the largest free Black communities in pre Civil War
America, and the historic HunterFlea Rd. houses.
(07:03):
About Fulton Art Fair Established in 1958, the Fulton
Art Fair Faf annually exhibits fine visual art of both renowned
and emerging artists from the USA, Africa and the Caribbean.
Fulton Art Fair was for the exhibition, promotion, and
publication of the fine and performing arts in the city and
(07:24):
state of New York, consisting primarily of artists of African
American descent. The stimulation and
encouragement of community interest in the field of fun and
performing arts. The development and achievement
of creativity as an expression of the Community's status and
heritage.
Restoration of the Exodus and Dance Freeze is a culmination of
a multi year effort led by NICA and public housing residents to
save and restore the historic artwork and preserve the
community's unique history through an oral history project,
art programming and soon to be installed.
Story Walk Today was the cut of the ribbon on a historic art
(00:21):
conservation project in the Kingsborough Houses, a 16 acre
public housing complex located in the Crown Heights
neighborhood of Brooklyn. The project was partly funded
and made possible by the Mellon Foundation and New York City
Council funds. This effort is a part of Nika S
Connected Communities program, which is focused on transforming
(00:43):
and modernizing open spaces by implementing public private
partnerships. The program S efforts are based
on participatory planning and design and strive to enhance
physical and social connections between residents and their
communities. The Exodus and Dance Restoration
is the project's first phase andis a groundbreaking endeavor
(01:05):
that transforms the historic 80 foot freeze.
Exodus and Dance, created by renowned artist Richmond Barth
in 1939 and installed on the campus in 1941, depicts scenes
of biblical imagery and dance motifs to convey spirituality,
community and joy. The work is the recipient of the
(01:25):
2025 Moses Award for Preservation Projects by the New
York Landmark Conservancy. The restoration involved
carefully removing the Freeze from the wall and transporting
it to a conservation studio and building a new wall to serve as
the base for the freeze. Commonly referred to as the Wall
by Kingsborough residents, the restoration preserves the
(01:48):
community's deep connection to Black migration, theater and
dance history. The Freeze is the largest piece
of art created by Barth, who is widely recognized for his
sculptural work collected by anddisplayed at the Whitney Museum
of Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Through a unique blend of art conservation and community
(02:09):
engagement, the project celebrates and reflects the rich
cultural heritage of NICCAR residents and their storied
histories in New York City, fostering A deeper connection
between the past and present. A second phase, organized by a
Story Walk Design and Community Engagement consultant team and
informed by a stakeholder advisory group, includes story
(02:32):
walks highlighting the communityas shared histories, memories
and aspirations. Creative Urban Alchemy LLC, led
by architect Ivioma IBO and Jerome Hayford Studio DPC,
worked through an iterative design process with residents to
culminate in a vibrant public space.
In addition, the open space around the freeze will be
(02:55):
transformed by improved lighting, seating and new
community inspired murals on thebackside of the wall.
Before his passing, the project was led by the artist in
residence, Larry Weeks, president of the Fulton Art Fair
Incorporated. The expected completion for the
story Walk is Fall 2025. In 2019, Nicker received 1.8
(03:21):
million in funding for this project from former City Council
Speaker Corey Johnson and formerCity Council member Ellicott and
Price Samuel, which helped lead to the additional 2,000,000
grant from the Mellon Foundation.
This funding supported the capital restoration, an Artist
in Residency program, oral history project, and the
(03:43):
installation of Nika S 1st StoryWalk to be completed later this
year. The project aims to set a
precedent for similar initiatives across Nika
developments, inspiring future partnerships and investments in
art conservation, artist in residence programs and community
engagement. Together, the project elements
(04:04):
seek to preserve Kingsborough houses, cultural heritage and
Black history. The collaborative programs
between the PHCF and NIKA enrichparticipatory planning and
design and strive to enhance physical and social connections
between residents and their communities.
About the Public Housing Community Fund The Public
(04:25):
Housing Community Fund is an independent, not-for-profit
organization that creates and leverages resources and
relationships to enhance the opportunities and quality of
life for New York City Housing Authority NIKA residents and
their communities while uplifting the importance of
public housing in New York City.www.communityfund.nyc.
(04:47):
About the New York City Housing Authority Nika The New York City
Housing Authority Nika, the largest public Housing Authority
in North America, was created in1934 to provide decent
affordable housing for low and moderate income New Yorkers.
Nika is home to one in 17 New Yorkers providing affordable
(05:10):
housing to 520,808 authorized residents through public housing
and Permanent Affordability Commitment together packed
programs, as well as Section 8 housing.
Nika has 177,569 apartments in 2411 buildings across 335
(05:33):
conventional public housing and packed developments.
In addition, Nikka connects residents to critical programs
and services from external and internal partners with a focus
on economic opportunity, youth, seniors, and social services.
With a housing stock that spans all 5 boroughs, Nikka is a city
(05:55):
within a city. About The Andrew W Mellon
Foundation The Andrew W Mellon Foundation is the nation's
largest supporter of the arts and humanities.
Since 1969, the Foundation has been guided by its core belief
that the humanities and arts areessential to human
understanding. The Foundation believes that the
(06:18):
arts and humanities are where weexpress our complex humanity and
that everyone deserves the beauty, transcendence and
freedom that can be found there.Through our grants, we seek to
build just communities, enrichedby meaning and empowered by
critical thinking, where ideas and imagination can thrive.
(06:39):
About Weeksville Heritage CenterWeeksville Heritage Center is an
historic site and Cultural Center in central Brooklyn that
uses education, arts and a social justice lens to preserve,
document and inspire engagement with the history of Weeksville,
one of the largest free Black communities in pre Civil War
America, and the historic HunterFlea Rd. houses.
(07:03):
About Fulton Art Fair Established in 1958, the Fulton
Art Fair Faf annually exhibits fine visual art of both renowned
and emerging artists from the USA, Africa and the Caribbean.
Fulton Art Fair was for the exhibition, promotion, and
publication of the fine and performing arts in the city and
(07:24):
state of New York, consisting primarily of artists of African
American descent. The stimulation and
encouragement of community interest in the field of fun and
performing arts. The development and achievement
of creativity as an expression of the Community's status and
heritage.
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