Civic Action at the Noguchi Museum

Last week I had the chance to preview the upcoming exhibit, Civic Action: A Vision For Long Island City, showing at the Noguchi Museum. It will open on Thursday, October 13 and go until Sunday, April 22. It is a collaborative initiative between the Noguchi and Socrates Sculpture Park, and the exhibit is the result of a “reimagination” of Long Island City by four artists – Natalie Jeremijenko, Mary Miss, Rirkrit Tiravinija, and George Trakas – and their teams of architects, researchers, urban planners, writers, and designers.

A lot of research by the artists and their teams went into this project, to get a better feel for LIC and its community. You’ll get to see the results of their hard work, presented in four areas on the second floor of the Noguchi. These results show us how LIC could become an even better place – a better community – than it is now.

Inspiration for this project came from the groundbreaking transformation Isamu Noguchi and Mark di Suvero brought to this part of Long Island City. I mean, can you imagine this place without their influence? The Noguchi Museum and Socrates Sculpture Park are beloved space in our little part of Queens, and important elements in the cultural landscape of New York City. The Civic Action artists, in their own way, looked for ways to inspire such a transformation as well. Overdevelopment and its sibling homogenization is looming in LIC, and inspired thinking and action are ways to combat it.

Cool things you’ll see include live images from a periscope fitted on the roof of the Noguchi; ideas for poles throughout LIC; an actual Sohmer piano; suggestions for waterfront access where there is none currently; solar awnings; green lighting; Broadway as greenway; and a model for a community kitchen at Socrates Sculpture Park. Of course, there is lots more to see (oh, and look for the hula hoops), and you’ll no doubt find things that resonate with your own vision of LIC.

This exhibit is only phase 1 – many of the ideas presented will be made into tangible models, to be placed at Socrates Sculpture Park in May 2012. This will coincide with the Sculpture Park’s 25th Anniversary, too.

So definitely make a point to check out Civic Action: A Vision For Long Island City. We’d love to know your thoughts after viewing the exhibition, too.

Civic Action: A Vision for Long Island City
Thursday, October 13, 2011 – Sunday, April 22, 2012

The Noguchi Museum
9-01 33rd Road (at Vernon Boulevard)
Long Island City, NY
718.204.7088
http://noguchi.org/