Gallery visitors mill about this past Friday’s “Quality of Life” opening at Factory Fresh.
— photo by Diego Cupolo — see other photos in this set>>
Gracefully decrepit New York City scenes were captured, framed and hung neatly on white walls last Friday, resulting in the biggest opening reception yet for Bushwick’s Factory Fresh art space. The night revolved around two exhibits, “Quality of Life,” which highlights dilapidation’s splendor through the photography of Jake Dobkin, Sam Horine, Luna Park and Street Stars; and “Bushwick Yourself!” a showcase of quirky movie poster collages made from large jigsaw puzzle pieces by Gaetane Michaux.
Each photographer had 10 pictures on display, their images showing a unique take on the city’s urban landscape. The gallery included shots of the Domino Sugar Factory’s flooded interior, colorful street art in dismal industrial sites and the crumpled remains of a dock that gave way to the currents of New York Bay.
Many of the images were familiar sights to the night’s visitors, as some of the subjects can be found within walking distance of the art space. Catherine Lorimer, aka Luna Park, helped organize the exhibit and said it was only natural to combine the photographers’ similar styles into one show.
“We all have a common interest in documenting rowdy abandoned regions of the city,” Lorimer said. “You can find many elements of beauty in those so-called blighted, graffiti-covered lots –- you just have to know how to capture it.”
“Because of the rapid pace of development, I sometimes feel like I’m racing against time to get to all these deserted areas,” she added. “The new New York is so shiny and bland to me.”
The floor space was packed and the Genesee Cream Ale was being guzzled, which left Ali Ha, co-owner of Factory Fresh, feeling satisfied. Ha said she respected the photographers for taking pictures everyday and bringing a lot of attention to local street art –- all while holding onto steady day jobs.
“There’s a viral edge to this show,” Ha said. “‘Viral’ media usually uses the internet, these photographers all met online, and basically they’re just putting things out there with no real purpose or motive, but in the end it all comes back to them because they’re making a name for themselves and the street art they capture,” she explained.
In “Bushwick Yourself!” the Belgium-born, Urban Outfitters store designer Gaetane Michaux playfully displayed various aspects of her life through jigsaw puzzle collages. She cut movie posters into puzzle pieces, glued them to thick stock paper and blended different themes together. People who buy her work receive the puzzle pieces in a box and have to re-construct the posters at home.
“I got the idea from playing with my little niece,” Michaux said.
One collage was an eclectic combination of movie posters from Batman, Run Lola Run, Wall-E, Swingers and Edward Scissorhands. Above all of this, she added a review from The New York Times which says “Completely unnecessary.”
Overall, the opening was great. I was glad to see photographers who got their start on Flickr being featured in a gallery –- it’s a motivating sight for all amateur photographers.
“I’d like to see more photography shows in Bushwick,” Jake Dobkin said.
Factory Fresh is located at 1053 Flushing Ave., between Morgan and Knickebocker Aves. “Quality of Life” runs until October 31, 2008.
