This weekend, Los Herederos will debut their Sonicycle to Jackson Heights and Elmhurst residents to exhibit the power of reusing and repairing items in their neighborhoods.
The media-arts nonprofit will be hosting “Recycled Sounds: The Sonicycle in Jackson Heights” on Saturday, Aug. 25 to debut the Sonicycle, an audio-visual outfitted tricycle made entirely from recycled materials and refurbished curbside discards. The “caravan”, as it’s described by its creators, is equipped with a DJ turntable, speakers, audio players, projector and recording equipment.
From 4 to 7 p.m. guests can enjoy a live DJ set and interactive opportunity to test out their favorite “recycled” sounds and learn about the stories behind the items. Attendees will also learn about the design, concept, and function of the Sonicycle, and are also encouraged to bring their own vinyl, tapes, CDs, pods and cellphones to make special song requests.
The event will take place at Elmhurst’s Libreria Barco de Papel (40-03 80th St.), one of the collaborators behind “Recycled Sounds.” In addition, the event will be live streamed over an online radio broadcast as part of Los Herederos’ efforts to create a community-curated cultural mapping project.
“Recycled Sounds” is the first in a series of pilot events that will test the Sonicycle around the city in order to gather community feedback and partnerships for future events. It was put together in collaboration with Libreria Barco de Papel and Brooklyn-based record company Names You Can Trust.
Los Herederos was the winner of the Reuse and Repair Grant Award from Citizens Committee for New York City and Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer’s Manhattan Solid Waste Advisory Board. Through the grant, the organization was able to receive $2,000 worth of funding toward their event. The grant is the first of its kind in New York City and was inspired by the NYC Zero Waste 2030. Its goal is to support residents in the five boroughs to move toward a “viable reuse and repair economy” in order to reduce waste, create jobs, and reduce the unnecessary purchases of new items.
For more information about this free event, click here. To learn more about the Sonicycle and other projects by Los Herederos visit losherederos.org/projects.
