By Stephen Stirling
A hulking commercial and office complex hanging over Municipal Lot 1 in downtown Flushing, Queens Crossing is expected to open in its entirety sometime in April. Several aspects of the building, though, such as Crossing Art, have been operational for months.”Back to the Garden” represents the first full exhibition at the 8,000-square-foot gallery, located on the fourth floor at 136-20 38th Ave. The exhibition, free of charge, features eight artists, each of whom Curator Lucchia Mei-Hua Lee said represented the theme of “back to the garden” in their work.Lee said she found inspiration for the “Back to the Garden” exhibition in man's preoccupation with the material world. She said the coming of spring reminds us that the imagination would starve without a return to the natural, more spiritual core of humanity.”The vision represented in the phrase 'back to the garden' is essentially a prioritization of needs and a statement about the human condition,” Lee said. “Not only does it discount the mundane concerns and give precedence to simplicity and spiritual values, but also it finds echoes in the ideas of numerous thinkers in disparate conditions.”Brooklyn-based artist Eun Young Choi, for example, used the unlikely artistic medium of stickers along with reflective materials to create elaborate collages that articulated a common joy among people.”It doesn't matter who you are. You could be the grumpiest old man. The moment you see a sticker you smile,” Choi said of her piece, “Apple Juice Kisses and Champagne Farts.””I wanted to capture some of that childlike joy. With the reflective materials, as you're looking at [the collages], you realize that you're looking at yourself. You find yourself in the work.”Crossing Art is open from Tuesday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. or by appointment. For additional information, call Lee at 917-412-2831 or visit www.crossingart.com.Reach reporter Stephen Stirling by e-mail at Sstirling@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 138.
