For two weekends in September (14-16 and 21-23) the Sunview Luncheonette (221 Nassau Avenue) and experimental composer David First team up to present Dave’s Waves Sonic Luncheonette. Below, David gives an overview of what inspired the project, all its previous incarnations, and what to expect during the two weekends.
Greenpointers: How’d the idea for a sonic restaurant come about?
David First: I was asked to participate in an exhibition in Lier, Belgium in 2002. At the time I had begun mucking around in the area of brainwaves and binaural beats because it was something I had already been doing in my music. The “new age” community likes to make a correlation between the alpha brainwave range and the Schumann resonances, so, of course I found a trove of fascinating, fantastical stuff online that I dove into unconditionally. When I decided I wanted to present this work in Lier, the idea of making it a restaurant where you order these different compositional “dishes” from a menu seemed like a fun way to do it. Continue reading →
Gail Stoicheffhas been painting in the nabe for over a decade, crafting quietly epic paintings with sweeping strokes and stunning visuals. For this week’s Thursday Spotlight, we chatted with the local painter to discuss how her heritage affects her work, the decision to pursue grad school, and — most importantly — the recipe she needsto have.
Greenpointers: I see you’re based in Greenpoint. How long have you been here, and do you work out of a local studio?
Gail Stoicheff: On Valentine’s day 2002 I moved to Williamsburg. When they tuned our loft into condos in 2011, I moved to this side of McCarren. My studio is in my apartment, which is tricky since I make large work, but I’ve found I need to have a live/work set-up. There aren’t many options for that in the neighborhood these days, so I make it work. Continue reading →
Qieer Wang showing off one of her recently framed works.
Local artist Qieer Wang’s work is incredibly diverse. She dabbles in multimedia, illustrations, film and more, having contributed to the likes of NPR and LennyLetter. We caught up with the Greenpoint illustrator to discuss creating portraits of mental illness, balancing projects, and the limitations of working on a visa.
Greenpointers: Do you live in Brooklyn, and if so for how long?
Qieer Wang: Yes, I’ve lived and worked in Greenpoint for almost two years.
GP: Can you talk about your artistic background, or education, and your influences?
QW: I was educated in illustration for both undergrad and grad school programs. As to being an animator and director, I was inspired from a grad school two-day stop motion workshop in 2015. Afterwards, I started learning techniques and animation principles from online tutorials up until today. I’m drawn to artists like Jan Svankmajer, Hieronymus Bosch, and Lorenzo Mattotti.Continue reading →
At her core, Kweighbaye Kotee is a community builder: she triumphantly brings together artists and audiences, neighborhood long-timers and newbies alike. Her talents coalesce most notably in the Bushwick Film Festival, her passion project that is celebrating its 11th anniversary October 11–14. Greenpointers caught up with the local curator and filmmaker to discuss the morphing landscape of film, the partnerships she builds, and the side projects that continue to keep her busy.
Greenpointers: Do you live in Brooklyn, and if so where and for how long? Kweighbaye Kotee: I have lived in Brooklyn for 14 years. Williamsburg for two and now Bushwick for 12.
GP: Can you talk a little about the genesis of the Bushwick Film Festival? And how many participating volunteers and films are there in the coming festival? KK: I started the Bushwick Film Festival in 2007, while I was still in school at NYU. Initially, I really just wanted to share my love for indie film with other people in the neighborhood and celebrate filmmakers. Later on, I realized my position in the industry (female, immigrant, a woman of color) and wanted to do more. I began to use the festival as a place to bring people of all backgrounds together to connect through film. I also wanted to use our platform to help diversify the industry. This year, we plan to select about 100 films out of the 1,200+ films that submitted to the festival. Typically we have around 50 volunteers and interns who make it all happen. Continue reading →
Steve Wasterval isn’t from here, but you may be led to believe otherwise given the authenticity and love behind each of his New York paintings. In a culture where the definition of art can often seem haughty, where the medium itself is ever-shifting, there is something beautifully traditional and startlingly contemporary about Steve’s acrylic paintings: They simultaneously represent impressionism from the days of yore while also reflecting the evolving city he adores and inhabits. Steve is participating in Greenpoint Open Studios June 2–3, so if you long to see his paintings in person after reading his interview, you’ll soon have the chance!
Greenpointers: On your site you say you make art for “real” New Yorkers. Are you a real New Yorker?
Steve Wasterval: I do say that — and no I am not. Unfortunately, I’m from Texas so I am one of those people that moved from the south or midwest and are forever trying to earn our local status. My wife is from here though, and so is her family (her grandparents were born and raised in Greenpoint on Berry Street) so I’d like to think I’m native by marriage. Plus nobody can top me when it comes to love for the city! You may think you love her more cause you’re a Yankees fan, or know where to get the best slice or whatever, but I paint her everyday. She’s all mine in that way, no one loves her the way I do.
It’s hard to mistake an original by Pinky Weber. With their striking colors and iconic motifs, Pinky’s works look beautiful in varying mediums — as murals on brick buildings or even as square images on Instagram. Greenpointers spoke with the artist, the first in our May Thursday Spotlights to also be participating in the upcoming Greenpoint Open Studio. She’ll be featured in the neighborhood-wide event on June 2–3 — look out for her enjoyable and comical pieces next month! Til then, learn more about her perspective on street art, women in the field, and — above all — donuts in our engaging interview below.
Greenpointers: How long have you been in Brooklyn?
Pink Weber: I’m originally from San Francisco, but first moved to New York City in 2010 to attend Parsons The New School for Design. After a few years of Manhattan life under my belt, I decided Brooklyn was where I needed to be. I moved to Greenpoint in 2013 and haven’t looked back since!
GP: You’re a donut enthusiast! Are you a Peter Pan loyalist or do you have other favorites?
PW: Yes! I love donuts so much that my first mural was a 20×30 foot donut mural in Bushwick, which I painted as a collab with Christian Hooker. I’m pretty loyal to my gals in the green and pink uniforms over at Peter Pan, but occasionally dabble in the donuts at Dough Donuts. Continue reading →
A piece from ceramist Carol Joo Lee’s current show, Naturalized
The immigrant story is fertile ground for storytelling; it has been highlighted in literature (Ragtime), theater (Hamilton), film (La misma luna), and — of course — art. Carol Joo Lee, the bold and elegant Korean-American ceramist/artist, is now communicating part of her story in Naturalized, her art show that is now on display at Greenpoint Hill until May 27. We got to know Carol, talk about her parents’ influence on her work, and even how Manhattan (gasp!) may be her sturdy fortress even as her work spans boroughs.
Greenpointers: Naturalized has been open since Greenpoint Gallery Night on April 20. Can you talk about the viewers’ reactions to it?
Carol Joo Lee: I was quite surprised by how many people actually read the press release at the opening and wanted to share their own feelings or experiences with me. I’m naturally a very private person and don’t like to share that much about myself, so I felt a little exposed given that the backstory behind the work was quite autobiographical. But I felt very touched by that response. Continue reading →
Not Work Related may boast the Picasso of ceramists: Sarah Hussaini, a mainstay Brooklynite, a pottery virtuoso, and a Greenpointers market favorite. (Catch her and her ceramic wonders at our spring market on April 22!) In this week’s Thursday Spotlight, we caught up with Sarah and discussed her fresh Instagram, the “succulent mansions” she creates for plants, and her budding career (no pun intended).
If you didn’t get a chance to check out the local art here in the historic Leviton building during last year’s Greenpoint Open Studios, here’s a good reason to venture out to 276 Greenpoint Ave before the next one on June 2-3 (Mark your calendars!): Greenpoint-based artist, CJ Hendry’s MONOCHROME is an immersive art installation where you can wander through seven rooms, designed in high saturation Pantone colors. Our favorite color, is of course the green kitchen.
Follow the yellow dots into a dark industrial hallway to the freight elevator, which will eventually open up into an expansive raw warehouse space that hosts the makeshift rooms. Continue reading →
I met artist Richard Humann on a Queens-bound G train in the summer of 2015. He was reading a book about Chinatown and I asked him if it was good. It wasn’t, he noted, but we talked and we stayed in touch, sharing our memories and dreams of Brooklyn. He’s traveled the world for his award-winning art, but since 1985 Greenpoint has always been home. While he can’t recall creating any conscious odes to Greenpoint in his work, the neighborhood and its residents have undoubtedly influenced him in his decades here.
When he moved to Brooklyn from his hometown of Stony Point, New York (“I would say it’s like an hour north of the city but it’s a million miles away”) after college, he shacked up on Meserole Avenue. In the years since, he’s migrated a mere block over. “I never left,” he smiles. When he first moved to Greenpoint, Humann recalls that Williamsburg was considered a hotter area because it was more rough and tumble – south of 7th Street wasn’t considered safe. He had shows in both neighbs though, from the Minor Injury Gallery – one of North Brooklyn’s first as far as he’s aware – to Williamsburg’s Pan Arts gallery, both long closed.
He’s stayed put as the neighborhood changed over the years along with the rest of the borough and city. I spoke with him about his thoughts on gentrification, the bad old days, bygone businesses, and what the future holds for Greenpoint. Continue reading →
