Parks & Recreation is pleased to present Parks Potpourri, an eclectic mix of striking photographs that represent four diverse programs whose impact are felt across the seasons and which support the City's arts education, horticulture, and park preservation initiatives. The programs are the Urban Park Rangers' Ranger Conservation Corps, St. Mary's Recreation's Computer Resource Center, New Yorkers for Parks' Daffodil Project, and the Parks Inspection Program. The exhibition will open to the public on Wednesday, January 12, 2011 and remain on display through Thursday, January 27, 2011.
"From planting flowers to educating children to planning the parks of the future, dozens of groups within Parks & Recreation provide vital programming for our green spaces and make New York City a vibrant community," said Parks & Recreation Commissioner
Adrian Benepe. "This exhibition of photographs will highlight four of the dozens of partnerships or divisions that enhance New York City's neighborhoods."
This past fall, students from the Marble Hill High School for International Studies participated in an art project sponsored by the Urban Park Rangers. As part of the Ranger Conservation Corps (RCC) program, these students of diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds were recruited to create sculptures from natural materials gathered from within Van Cortlandt Park. Inspired by the work of leading conceptual artist
Andrew Goldsworthy, the sculptures--made from leaves, stones, sticks, sand, flowers, and other materials--were intended to degrade over time and highlight nature's temporal quality. The sculptures were visually preserved through documentary photography immediately after their completion.
The Computer Resource Center at the St. Mary's Recreation Center offers free computer access and instruction to the Mott Haven community in the South Bronx. The Center bridges the digital divide by offering access to digital cameras, computers, career services, and academic and arts programming. St. Mary's teens have photographed a myriad of events, ranging from coverage of Tribeca Film Fellows screenings to Parks & Recreation festivals such as WinterJam, Street Games, and Drums Along the Hudson.
The Daffodil Project is an annual volunteer beautification effort that began between New Yorkers for Parks and Parks & Recreation in the days after 9/11 when Dutch bulb supplier Hans Van Waardenburg of B&K Flowerbulbs donated a half a million daffodils to the City of New York in a gesture of support. This past fall, the four millionth bulb was planted and the Project has grown to include a year-round roster of activities, including the annual photography contest, in all five boroughs. As the photographic selections including in the exhibition demonstrate, the reemergence each year of the flowers across the city provides a collective emotional renewal.
The Parks Inspection Program's trained inspectors conduct 5,000 inspections per year, reporting on park elements such as flags, sidewalks, and signs, determining whether any are missing, damaged, faded, or worn. While on inspection patrol they are have an opportunity to witness and record the best aspects of our parks. Diverting their cameras from their appointed task, they have captured glimpses of natural beauty as well as candid activities.
The Arsenal Gallery is dedicated to examining themes of nature, urban space, wildlife, New York City parks and park history. It is located on the third floor of the Parks Department Headquarters, in Central Park, on Fifth Avenue at 64th Street. Gallery hours are Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Admission is free. For more information on the Arsenal Gallery, please call 212-360-8163.
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