It was fun while it lasted, even for less than a week. The De-Fence Project is (or rather was) a site-specific display that is integrated into the 300ft long wooden fence running atop a sidewalk bridge of the Empire Stores building in the Empire-Fulton State Park in Dumbo, Brooklyn. The mural is composed of 60 plywood panels attached above and below the fence utilizing the existing wooden framework. Evolving from left to right, the pattern features a variety of natural shapes, such as jellyfish, leaves, and birds.

John Jeffreys, president and creative director of Exhibitology Incorporated, which funded the project emailed to us “This project is a great example of how the unsightly can easily be made more beautiful and interesting.” Although it was a nice way to dress up an otherwise bland scaffold, State Park officials had it taken down yesterday because the group did not get permission to put up the artwork. According to Jeffreys, “Due to time constraints, Exhibitology was not able to secure permission in time to for the May 7th install and thus The State’s position is that anything that they can’t control is not allowed.” We’re sad to see this go down, but hope they’ll bring back more art in the area.

{State park cops reuglify DUMBO building, 13May2009, Brooklyn Paper}
{De-Fence Project Destroyed, 13May2009, Gothamist}
{Art being removed, 11May2009, McBrooklyn}
{Discussion on DumboNYC, 09May2009}

Your chance is here to join the DUMBO/Vinegar Hill CSA this season! From the DUMBO/Vinegar Hill CSA:

Community Supported Agriculture, or CSA, is a way for people to buy vegetables directly from a local farmer. Before the harvest season, members commit and pre-pay to buy fresh, locally grown organic vegetables. This year the season runs from June 9 to November 10, 2009. Every Tuesday evening from 5-7:30 PM during the 23-weeks members will pick up their share in DUMBO.

In addition to our vegetable share, this year we also have fruit and cheese shares.

The vegetable share is $575 for a full share and $360 for a partial share. Both vegetables shares are for 23 weeks, June 9th-November 10th. To see examples of the organic vegetables we get from Sang Lee farms, please look at the delivery list on our website (www.dumbocsa.org).

The price for the fruit share is $150. The share is for 16 weeks, (mid July-mid October) 5lbs. of fruit each week. The fruits are blueberries, blackberries, peaches, pears, apples. The fruit farm is called Briermere Farms and it is also located on LI, www.briermere.com

The cheese share is $155 for all 23 weeks, 3-4 oz of cheese each week which is freezable. The cheeses are feta, chevre (herbed and plain) and after aging later in the season, cheddar and ricotta. The cheese woman is award winning, Karen Catapano, www.catapanodairyfarm.com/press.htm

If you’d like to join the DUMBO/Vinegar Hill CSA, please visit our website www.dumbocsa.org for information regarding registration and payment.

Past Dumbo/Vinegar Hill CSA posts.

You’ve seen several of the talented RWK street art around Dumbo. Here’s one spotted on Pearl Street over the weekend. Below is one from Water Street between Jay and Bridge Streets.

More at robotswillkill.com.

THE NEW YORK PHOTO FESTIVAL (NYPH)
Exhibitions open May 14 – 17, 10am – 7pm

The New York Photo Festival – the first international-level photo festival in the U.S. returns to Dumbo, Brooklyn. The ambition of NYPH is to document the future of photography in all its forms. This year’s festival features curators William A. Ewing, Chris Boot, Jody Quon, and Jon Levy, and for the first time ever, NYPH will feature the NYPH’09 Review Pavilion: portfolio reviews, staged presentations, masterclass workshops, and a peer lounge.

In addition to the curated pavilions, the festival will offer visitors an extensive range of activities that will generate dialogue and buzz among all the communities of photo professionals, amateurs, students, and aficionados of art and culture: seminars, slide shows, book signings, photographic workshops, live performances and events, and a gallery row. The festival will also be documented online in a regularly updated virtual environment.

Daniel Power, the founder and publisher publishing company powerHouse Books and Frank Evers, formerly the Managing Director of the VII Photo Agency, are the co-chair and co-founders of the New York Photo Festival.

See why Dumbo is known as the ‘Photo District’ by checking out the NYPF. For a full list of programming events, go to nyphotofestival.com

Previously:
{New York Photo Festival 2008 Kicks Off, 15May2008}
{New York Photo Festival To Draw Crowds From Around the World, 10Mar2008}
{Dumbo Becoming Next Photo District, 05Nov2007}

Halcyon the Shop has some fresh new touches of paint on the wall of the building by oliververnon.com. Below is a before pic of the wall art.

Halcyon
57 Pearl Street, Dumbo Brooklyn, NY 11201

Caption, Dumbo’s newest gallery that showcases art editorial photography, will open in DUMBO on May 14 during the New York Photo Festival. According to their press release, “The gallery is founded in the belief that outstanding photography deserves to live beyond its initial appearance in newspapers, magazines and other temporary venues. Dedicated to presenting the art of storytelling, Caption’s exhibits will include texts by the photographers themselves and by leading writers to convey the richness of contemporary narrative art.”

Tom Sternal and Jennifer Galvin are gallery co-directors. Jennifer Galvin is the Creative Director of Generation, a communications firm that works exclusively with not-for-profit and educational institutions. Tom Sternal is the President of Generation, and has worked with nearly 100 not-for-profit and cause-related institutions including American University in Cairo, Columbia University, Common Ground, the Delaware Art Museum, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Whitney Museum of American Art. We interviewed Tom about the new gallery.

Q: Thank you for taking your time from your busy schedule. How did you and Jennifer decide to open Caption when Generation is already successful?

A: We knew it was kind of a ridiculous idea—especially in this economy—but it was also about trying to stay fresh. Thankfully our primary business has been spared the brunt of the recession, so we plunged ahead. For us, photography has always been an essential part of what we do. In our work with non-profits we are constantly asking ourselves how can we combine text and image to motivate people to care about things that they previously ignored. Even if the gallery is economically impractical, it feels like an important affirmation of our firm’s mission.

Q: How can photographers get noticed in this age of new media (Flickr, digital images, etc) and what catches your and Jennifer’s eyes when looking at photography portfolios?

A: For photographers, there’s so much competition out there, but there’s also an unprecedented opportunity for exposure. Look at the cult Icelandic photographer, Rebekka Guoleifsdottir. She’s ignored by the photo establishment but her Flickr portfolio has had millions upon millions of hits and she’s actually selling a lot of work. Many of the most important photographers of the last century would love to have that much exposure. The new media has allowed a very important populist movement to be borne. But at the same time, we have to be careful that we don’t apply a different, less rigorous criteria when we evaluate this work. When we’re looking at photographers, we want to see their point of view: Is it based on a thoughtful narrative and sound visual principles? Do they have the power to change people’s way of thinking?

Q: What brought you to Dumbo instead of Tribeca, Williamsburg, or other ‘arts’ centers in NYC? What do you like/dislike about Dumbo?

A: I’ve been living in Dumbo since 2004, and I am committed to this neighborhood. We were turned off by places like Tribeca and Williamsburg, or any place that felt like it had an attitude. We want to make the gallery experience friendly and accessible, eliminate any hint of pretension. People who’ve lived in Dumbo a long time, might not always like how the neighborhood is evolving, but we love the sense of possibility here. The story of this neighborhood is still being written, and we’d love to be part of it. Maybe we’ll even be able to use the gallery to help tell that story.

Photographer Corey Arnold will inaugurate Caption in Brooklyn’s DUMBO with an exhibition of photographs titled Fish-Work: Sea Stories. The show follows his successful debut at Chelsea’s Sara Tecchia Roma New York Gallery and will include selected photographs from that exhibition as well as previously unexhibited work. Fish-Work: Sea Stories will coincide with the opening of the New York Photo Festival ’09.

Caption will host a opening reception from 6:30-8:30 on Thursday, May 14, 2009.

Caption Press Release
Photographer Corey Arnold Exhibition Press Release

Caption
55 Washington Street, Suite 802, Brooklyn, New York 11201
718-504-7991

There is a film shoot on Adams and John Streets on Monday, May 11, 200 between 3am and 11pm for a project called “Factory Pictures”. Not sure what that is, but if anyone knows, please leave a comment. Thanks.

Filmed in Dumbo Brooklyn, Happy Mother’s Day from Saturday Night Live’s Digital Short video.

(How cool is this silhouette mural by de-fenceproject.com)

The following are selected links from this past week on blogs and websites with discussion about Dumbo (and its neighboring areas):

• LPC: Redesign 9 Old Fulton, 05May09, FFLA
• Etsy Leases at 55 Washington St in Dumbo, 06May09, Brownstoner
• A Trip to Dumbo, 02May09, bartboehlert.blogspot
• D.U.M.B.O. Show by Patrick McMullan, 03May09, Hustler of Culture
• BBPark Report #10, 08May09, BHB
• No Funding for Squibb Park, 07May09, Brooklyn Paper
• Gunfire in DUMBO’s Wild Wild East, 06May09, Brooklyn Paper
• New York Photo Fest takes over DUMBO May 13, 06May09, Brooklyn Paper
• Bridge ‘Park’ to run through River Cafe, 04May09, Brooklyn Paper
• School vs View in Bklyn Bridge Fight, 08May09, NYCity NewsService
• Green Desk in Dumbo Booming, 06May09, Epoch Times
• Kris Graves Projects Gallery, 07May09, brooklyntheborough
• Walt Whitman Park Redesign, 07May09, Brooklyn Eagle
• DUMBO’s Dynomighty Produces Recyclable Wallets, 08May09, Brooklyn Eagle
• The Gair History of 30 Wash Building, 05May09, Brooklyn Eagle
• Price Cuts and Loan Extension at 1BBP, 07May09, Brownstoner
• Performances at Rabbit Hole Studio, 08May09, Brooklyn Vegan

Here are some last minute options for Mother’s Day on Sunday in Dumbo:

• The Municipal Art Society of New York is hosting an architectural tour of three Historic Districts: Fulton Ferry, DUMBO, and Vinegar Hill. Meet at York and Jay streets, upstairs from subway. The tour will end near the Fulton St. Pier. (Transit: F train to York St.) $15, $10 MAS members. Reservations required.
• Water Street Restaurant has a special Mother’s Day brunch on Sunday. Along with having the Steele Greye Band, for your entertainment, they are offering brunch at $16.95.
• BKLYN Designs – Take your family to see children’s furniture and home accessories at this internationally known design show.
• Brooklyn Flea Dumbo – Check out the furniture, antiques, jewelry, clothing, design objects for sale at the Brooklyn Flea on Front and Washington Street.

BKLYN DESIGNS 2009 Special Offers in Dumbo this weekend:

1. halcyon the shop (57 Pearl Street), 10% OFF storewide to all BKLYN DESGINS ticket holders all weekend
2. Neighborhoodies (26 Jay Street), 25% off to anyone who shows their BKLYN DESIGNS ticket or showbook during the weekend
3. powerhouse Arena (37 Main Street), 20% discount on powerHouse Books’ photography and art books when you mention BKLYN DESIGNS at check-out
4. Boconcept (79 Front Street), 20% on Boconcept accessories and free home consultation service all weekend long