Opening Night Is February 23 At Jones Senior Center
The Ridgewood Bushwick Senior Citizens Council presents “Pioneers of Bushwick: We Call It Home,”an exhibit featuring photographic portraits of long-time Bushwick residents by Daryl-Ann Saunders, at the Diana H. Jones Senior Center at 9 Noll St.
Through Space for Art, a city art residency program matching artists to city senior centers with workspace, Daryl-Ann Saunders created a small “pop-up” photo studio at the center. There she began creating studio portraits and collecting written text of Bushwick residents that have lived in the neighborhood since the 1970s and still live in Bushwick today.
“Bushwick’s most difficult decades of the 1970s and 80s were marked by arson, crime, drugs and gang activity,” said the artist. “The Pioneers of Bushwick project commemorates residents that persevered, raised families and contributed to a rich historical tapestry throughout those times and up to its current resurgence. Their contributions will now be in evidence within Bushwick history. As this artwork is viewed by community residents of varied ages and cultures, it is hoped it will stimulate dialogue, not just about Bushwick and its history, but also about aging, self-worth, human value and experience.”
Saunders is a professional and fine art photographer. Her images have been published worldwide, is exhibited regularly and held in the collections of Pfizer, Inc., General Electric as well as other collections, public and private. For more information about the artist and her projects, visit: www.DASfineart.com and www.PioneersOfBushwick.com.
Project/exhibit space, senior participation and staff support has been generously donated to the Pioneers of Bushwick project by Diana H. Jones Senior Center and their sponsor, Ridgewood Bushwick Senior Citizens Council (www.RBSCC.org). The organization seeks to promote the well-being of community residents who are 60 years of age and over through nutrition, recreation, social services and educational programs.
This exhibit is sponsored, in part, by the Greater New York Arts Development Fund of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, administered by the Brooklyn Arts Council, Inc. (BAC). The Space for Art program (now SPARC) was initiated by The Brooklyn Arts Council in partnership with New York City Department for the Aging and the Department of Cultural Affairs.
