Bridge 4: Final Proposal For Monument/Memorial/Public Art Work Submit Assignment

(PDF for final proposal)

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+WRITTEN DESCRIPTION OF THE PURPOSE OF YOUR PROJECT

To commemorate the contribution of Diana Baffa-Brill, who led the Roosevelt Islanders to the world of arts and culture, and opened the “Main Street Theatre and Dance Alliance” in 1982 where she mainly taught children. She strongly claimed that everyone deserves to acquire early education regardless of who they are and where they came from, and her humanitarian belief evoked the importance of equal child education. Due to her effort, Roosevelt Islanders interacted with each other at the theatre from young ages and learned the value of cooperation, coexistence, and harmony. My monument, “Benevolent Diana and Her Little Disciple,” will pass on her altruistic principle to the public.

+WRITTEN TEXT DESCRIBING WHY NOW, MATERIALS, LOCATION, AND GESTURE

We are now living in the aging society, which affected Roosevelt Island from the early two thousands. The young population of the island kept diminishing, and the “Main Street Theatre and Dance Alliance” went through financial difficulty. My goal is to let people know about the theatre through my monument so it can pass on.

On the southern part of the Roosevelt Island, there is a wide green field where public artwork is installed. It is part of the path where visitors are lead to the “Franklin D, Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park”. The work is a form of billboard that features the drawing of children gardening the island. I would like to erect my monument in front of the art piece that portrays the scene of cultivation which is also linked to education. Since my monument represents the value of unification, two different public artworks standing next to each other will add meaning to the purpose of production.

My monument is a whole body of three different figures of Roosevelt Island, Diana, and her young student. The statues of Diana and her student are opposite to each other on the shape of Roosevelt Island. Both of them are lifting one of their legs as if they are dancing on the top of the island. The whole monument is made by clay, which is from soil, that represents the benign love of mother nature. It is related to Diana’s unstinting nature that positively shaped the community and her disciples.

My monument, “Benevolent Diana and Her Little Disciple”, will make the viewers realize that every person, child or adult, should have the opportunity to participate in the arts, regardless of cultural, socio-economic, ethnic background or age. Not only limited to Roosevelt Islanders, I hope everyone to realize that we are equal.

+ 3 IMAGES (MOCK-UP, DETAIL, AND GESTURE–OR OTHER IMAGES YOU SEE FIT)

 

REFLECTION ON YOUR PROJECT–

IMAGINING THE NEIGHBORHOOD REACTION IF THIS WAS PIECE WAS BUILT.

WHAT WERE YOUR BIGGEST DISCOVERIES THROUGH THIS PROJECT AND THIS SEMESTER?

HOW DOES THIS  PROJECT RELATE TO YOUR WORK IN STUDIO AND SEMINAR THIS SEMESTER AS WELL AS YOUR COURSEWORK IN OTHER CLASSES?

Throughout this research and writing, I found out that Roosevelt Island is a community where many historical events occurred for past decades. I was intrigued by the opening of the “Main Street Theatre and Dance Alliance” that led the neighbors, especially children, to the world of arts and culture. I learned the importance of child education and how dancing/acting can positively shape people. If my monument is really built on the island, Roosevelt Islanders would be touched by the benevolence of Diana Baffa-Brill, a founder of the theater. While intertwining my monument project with seminar writing, I discovered that art and literature is closely related. I can elaborately express my thought through the writing, but also portray it visually.

What subjects, populations, histories or elements are deserving of commemoration and not yet acknowledged?

Main Street Theatre & Dance Alliance is a one and only theater in Roosevelt Island. It was founded by the neighborhood resident, Diana Baffa-Brill, who was professional dancer and actress. Until the mid twentieth century, the Roosevelt Island was called as a “Welfare Island”. It was used principally for hospitals, from 1921 to 1973. When the gentrification was ongoing during the eighties, Brill wanted to make the neighborhood cheerful so it can get rid of gloomy atmosphere. Originally, it was developed as a theatre performance group. Then, became a theatre educational institution. Until this day, the Main Street Theatre & Dance Alliance has offered acting, dance, and music classes to hundreds of kids on Roosevelt Island.

What stories do you think need to be told?

For many, this community theater has served as the glue that bonded Islanders together – children as well as adults – even as friends attended different schools, competed in different sports, and practiced different faiths.

What perspective need to be shared?

that every person, child or adult, should have the opportunity to participate in the arts, regardless of cultural, socio-economic, ethnic background or age.

What stories either personal, community-based, or global do you want to share?

For actress Eleanor Philips, who currently performs Off-Broadway, the sense of community she found at Main Street Theatre & Dance Alliance is something she still holds dear. Philips fondly recalls how her cast-mates sprang into action when she lost a front tooth during a rehearsal for Annie, crawling around on their hands and knees with her to find it. “Pursuing a career in the arts, you get to the point where you encounter the clichés of the business: the endless auditions, the rejections, the missed opportunities,” she says. “But then you remember that, once upon a time, a bunch of kids helped you find your front tooth when you thought it was lost forever. And that sense of community is why I fell in love with theater and why I still do it as my career.”

Propose a subject matter to commemorate in the form of a new monument/memorial/public artwork.

  1. Diana Baffa-Brill’s effort to make the neighborhood cheerful and art-oriented.
  2. The Octagon, a historic building in Roosevelt Island where used to be mental institution. Lots of patients were mistreated there for many years.
  3. Smallpox Hospital, a hospital located on Roosevelt Island where dedicated to the care of victims of smallpox. Find three community organizations/non pr

Research by way of a direct action in the space and a thoughtfully developed proposal using guidelines outlined below.

The subject may be a person, place, event, or history.

On-site locations for your project  include, but are not limited, to:

  • Walls
  • Ceilings
  • Floors
  • Windows
  • Staircases
  • Escalators
  • Entrances and Exits
  • Rooftops
  • Parks
  • Plazas
  • Along roadways, traffic islands, or medians
  • Bridges
  • Historic places or landmarks

 

A spacious green field on the way to the “Roosevelt Park” is a perfect location where my monument should be located. Hundreds of people pass by this beautiful field, and the public artwork that is built upon there – a children planting trees – is also related to the theme that I am trying to deliver. “We equally deserve to nourish proper education.

Part 1:

Locate a perspective or point of view that directly speaks to the character and history of your neighborhood.

That we have to acknowledge Diana Baffa-Brill’s dedication to the theater.

Her vigorous effort to develop the Roosevelt Island community.

Why do you believe this subject matter is deserving of commemoration?

Because not many people can really show their belief into an action, like Daina did.

How do you think commemorating this particular subject matter would alter the neighborhood and the city?

They would believe that arts and culture can shape people positively.

Relationship of the work to the site and the host community, especially how it serves to activate or enhance public space;

People would not think the vacant green filed – where my monument will be built – is meaningless, but a place where they find the value of early education.

What message do you aim for this work to convey?

That we all deserve to get equal, early education that can positively shape us.

Part 2

Brainstorm three potential solutions to this problem

Via drawing and ceramics

  1. I am going to make a stature of Brill and her student, dancing on the figure of Roosevelt Island.
  2. I am going to make a figure of Roosevelt Island. On the surface, I will carve the multiple footsteps of Brill which symbolize her traces. It is meant to commemorate her past dedication for the Roosevelt Island Community.
  3. I am going to make a moving mobil. I will make it look like a tree that is widely spread out. It is meant to commemorate her benevolent heart who believed that everyone deserves to appreciate arts. I will draw her footsteps on the colored paper, and hang them on the wire to make it look like leaves.

Part 3

ONSIGHT research

Choose a solution to develop and actualize it via onsite action research

Create a gesture/ intervention/action/happening/performance/experiment in your chosen location.

This will should be:

+ documented and described

+temporary and legal intervention

+a gesture of a larger idea

This is a public art that is built on the green field on Roosevelt Island. The work is a form of billboard that features the drawing of children gardening the island. I would like to erect my monument in front of the art piece that portrays the scene of cultivation which is also linked to education. I would like to built my monument next to this artwork. The reason is because what Diana Baffa-Brill evoked to the public is the importance of coexistence. I want more people to realize that coexistence is the key to live the world more happily and harmoniously.

This is the “Love Monument” that is located at Manhattan. I want my monument to spread love just like this sculpture.

 

+5-10  images documenting your process

 

+5 images documenting gesture/ intervention/action/happening/performance

 

+300 word description of process and results

Throughout this research and writing, I found out that Roosevelt Island is a community where many historical events occurred for past decades. I was intrigued by the opening of the “Main Street Theatre and Dance Alliance” that led the neighbors, especially children, to the world of arts and culture. I learned the importance of child education and how dancing/acting can positively shape people. If my monument is really built on the island, Roosevelt Islanders would be touched by the benevolence of Diana Baffa-Brill, a founder of the theater. While intertwining my monument project with seminar writing, I discovered that art and literature is closely related. I can elaborately express my thought through the writing, but also portray it visually.

Part 4

A project proposal 20”x28” to be exhibited in class on Thursday December 6th.

 

Proposal/ Statement of purpose

WHAT do you propose making as a temporary monument/memorial/public art work?

To arouse sympathy among contemporary people, and to deliver my beliefs to them.

+Goals & activities: Describe the goal of the project and how it addresses the problem or opportunity. What activities are required to attain the goal?

To make believe that we are all equal and deserve opportunity that can positively shape us.

HOW does your project address these issues?

+Outcomes: Describe the anticipated short- and long-term outcomes of the project

People will love my monument because it resembles heartwarming theme of teacher and disciple. In the long term, they will realize and dancing and acting can change their lives.

WHO

+Partner & participants: Describe partner organization or individuals. Will the project have support from the community in which it is located? Explain.

“Main Street Theatre and Dance Alliance” will be my partner. My project will let people know that the theater needs more attention, so it can pass on to future generations.

+Will you include community events as part of your project?

Yes, lots of shows that are ongoing at the theater.

WHERE will this project take place?

+Public space relevance: Describe the significance of the project for New York City’s public realm.

People can feel tranquility after viewing my peaceful monument at the Roosevelt Island.

+Citywide relevance: Describe how your project could impact all five boroughs, even if the project is site specific. (Optional)

WHEN

+Timeliness: Why is your proposal timely? Why does it need to be undertaken at this moment?

Because the notion that we are all equal and deserve equal chance is timeless, and universal. That is what my monument is trying to deliver to the world.

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