In celebration of Lower East Side History Month, Fourth Arts Block (FABnyc) with First Street Green will open two of five planned public art exhibitions this weekend at First Street Green and Centre-Fuge Public Art Project. The series, titled “FABLES” is a public art series produced by FABnyc to explore the Lower East Side’s living cultural heritage, rich historical legacies, and current issues in public storytelling through visual art.
This Saturday from 12-3PM at First Street Green (33 E First Street), artistic team Theresa Loong and Laura Nova will present their multimedia work Feed Me A Story. A project that emerged from Loong and Nova’s residency at LaGuardia Senior Center with SPARC (Seniors Partnering with Artists Citywide), Feed Me A Story collects the stories and recipes behind Lower East Side senior citizens’ most memorable dishes, sharing them through visual and audio installations. Photographs of these favorite meals will be displayed on the south-facing wall of the park near Second Avenue, each of which will be paired with an audio recording accessed via website URL.
In keeping with the culinary theme, the opening reception will be a potluck-style picnic, where the public will be invited to bring, eat and discuss their favorite meals of memory. Participants of all ages will also be invited to draw a plate of their favorite dish. Light refreshments will be provided.
Feed Me a Story’s opening will be followed by a reception at Prima at 58 East 1st Street from 4-6pm to mark the opening of Lexi Bella’s Heroines of the Lower East Side with Centre-fuge Public Art Projects.
This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts/ Art Works and by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in participation with The City Council.
