Art in Park Slope: Farm City and G Train Salon

On Sunday I explored the art scene in Park Slope, Brooklyn with Krista Saunders as my trusty guide.

Krista curates the G Train Salon and has a show running at Urban Alchemist, a design co-op located on 5th Street off of 5th Avenue.

After checking out Jae Hi Ahn's exhibit at Urban Alchemist we ran into 'social sculpture' artist Tattfoo Tan at the Old Stone House.

@LeslieTravel checking out Kim Holleman's "Trailer Park" at Park Slope's Old Stone House.

Tattfoo was in Park Slope to demonstrate his SOS mobile classroom at the "Brooklyn Utopia: Farm City" show.

Farm City included two amazing mobile gardens, one created from a silver bullet trailer ("Trailer Park") and another fashioned from a pick-up truck ("Farm Truck").

>> View photos from my Park Slope art walk on the Leslie Travel Facebook page:

Photo album: Art in Park Slope: G Train Salon + Farm City

>> For details of the Farm City show check out my latest NY Destinations article:

‘Brooklyn Utopias: Farm City’ raises awareness of urban agriculture 

>> To learn more about artist Tattfoo Tan check out my story on his Arario Gallery show:

NYC artist Tattfoo Tan turns compost into art at Chelsea's Arario Gallery

@LeslieTravel, @Tattfoo and Krista of @GTrainSalon pose with a live hen behind the SOS mobile classroom.

What do you think of the Park Slope art scene? Share your opinion by leaving a comment below!

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Investigation: A day in the life of a NYC park artist

by Leslie Koch
Originally published in the NY Destinations column on Examiner.com, May 13, 2010

Artists continue to sell their work in Union Square Park as they wait for a Parks Department decision on a controversial vending proposal.

The Parks Department plan would cut the number of art vendors by roughly 75% in four popular Manhattan parks. In Union Square Park, about 100 vendors would compete for 18 spots.

Major news outlets covered this story, but did not dive deeply into the lives of park artists.

Readers have asked me for more information on the park vendors. The most common question: are they "real" artists or souvenir sellers?

A day in the park

To find out more about the park artists, I arrived in Union Square Park before dawn on a brisk April morning and spent seven hours shadowing Brooklyn photographer Mike Murray.

I spoke with over a dozen artists and vendors, who graciously invited me into their world.

My day in the park resulted in a New York Press cover story: "The Secret World of Park Artists."

Read my inside look at the lives of park artists on the New York Press website or pick up a free copy of the May 12- 18 issue on New York City sidewalks.

>> Photo caption: "The Secret World of Park Artists" is the cover story of the May 12-18, 2010 issue of the New York Press. Union Square Park artist Kenny Kudulis appears in the cover photo. 

Parks Department mum on plans

The Parks Department has remained silent on its proposal since the public hearing and protest on April 23.
Hundreds of artists attended the protest and many spoke at the public hearing.

TV crews and print reporters covered the event, increasing public awareness of the Parks Department proposal.

"I'm guessing they won't pass it," said Robert Lederman, president of ARTIST (Artists' Response To Illegal State Tactics), in an email on Wednesday.

"There is a risk that a ruling and all the evidence we have might negatively affect their concession-privatization agenda."

Lederman believes the Parks Department is trying to replace artist vendors-- who are not legally required to pay for permits because they sell "expressive" materials-- with more lucrative concessions.

If the Parks Department proposal is passed, ARTIST members will resist.

"We'll do as promised, refuse to obey, keep selling and then sue the city," said Lederman.
As of press time, the Parks Department has not revealed their plans for the expressive matter vending proposal.
 
>> For more info: Read the New York Press feature, "The Secret World of Park Artists" or click on the article links below.

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Protest art: Anti-Bloomberg posters decorate Union Square Park (photos)

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Parks Department plan will bring chaos to Union Square, warn street artists

 

Street artists target Mayor Bloomberg as 'destroyer of artist's rights'

Street artists unveil anti-Bloomberg poster in fight against Parks Department rules 

Union Square artist market threatened by new Parks Department rules