To most of us, the idea of walking around the neighborhood and listening to its sounds is about as boring as, well, walking around the neighborhood in a totally aimless, pointless way.
So when I first saw Gothamist’s interview with Todd Shalom, founder of the artist-led walking tour company Elastic City, I closed the window and mentally filed the story in the drawer labeled “hipster hooey.” But I recalled a conversation I was having this weekend, about my all-time favorite day in Sheepshead Bay: August 14, 2003.
Graffiti underneath the train overpasses is nothing new, but I saw this piece of street art up today in a few locations. Could it be a new artist is plastering the area? Or is our favorite Red Fish Smoking back with some new installments? It certainly looks to be in his style, and is the same sort of sticker he’s been using for some time. Is it wrong that I actually kind of like this one?
Those who’ve been reading Sheepshead Bites for a long time know that one of our pet peeves is the lack of art and music in Sheepshead Bay. Scratch that – it’s not so much the lack of those things as the absence of any organization or infrastructure to promote cultural activities in the neighborhood. One thing we’ve learned here is that there’s an abundance of creative, talented people in our ‘hood, but there’s no local outlets.
Wait, scratch that, too. There is Arthur Melnick and the Brooklyn Streetcar Artists’ Group (BSAG). We first told you about BSAG last September, when they held their first exhibit at Coney Island Hospital, featuring 49 installments from 22 local artists.
Melnick, the group’s director, and the BSAG coalition returned to Coney Island Hospital on June 4 with a larger exhibit. The opening featured performances from musicians and a silent auction to raise funds for victims of the earthquake in Haiti. The exhibit remains open to the public on the second flood of the hospital’s main building until the end of the summer.
Over this one we’re feeling pretty silly. Here we are, constantly complaining that we need more outlets, and when Melnick invites us to the opening it ends up falling through the cracks. So to Melnick, BSAG and our readers, we apologize. Above is a video report produced by Bay Currents in lieu of our own coverage.
A two-week project by British artist Luke Jerram places 60 pianos in public venues across the five boroughs. When we heard that one of these magical devices sat somewhere on the Riegelman Boardwalk in Coney Island, we knew we had to pay it a visit. If you’ve been to any of the events where Sheepshead Bites had a table, then you’ve probably met our self-appointed mascot, Jobana. She plunked down and started playing Enya’s “No Holly For Miss Quinn” before segueing into “Moonlight Sonata.” A crowd formed behind her, making it her first public audience in her life. Meanwhile, I got to take this pretty photo.
Over the years that Steven Cymbrowitz has been in the State Assembly, I must’ve walked past his 1800 Sheepshead Bay Road office hundreds – if not thousands – of times. And yet, a little piece of community culture that adorns his window always seems to go under my radar.
Since November 2003, Cymbrowitz has been using his storefront window as a “walk-by art gallery” for student artists. Every month during the school year, a new exhibit goes up by students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade classes, all from local schools.
“Assemblyman Cymbrowitz believes that art is an important component of a student’s education and every child should be encouraged to expresses themselves artistically,” said Oswalt Heymann, the chief of staff for Cymbrowitz.
Each exhibit follows a theme given to the teacher about issues that would be of interest to children. This month’s show came from eighth graders of Mrs. Davis’ class at I.S. 238.
Now, if you’re wondering how Georgia O’Keeffe is of interest to 14-year-olds, well, you’ll understand when you’re older…
Brooklyn’s oldest art club, All Communities Art, Inc a Gravesend-based, not-for-profit cultural organization listed with the Brooklyn Arts Council under the categories of Multi-Disciplinary Arts; Visual Arts; Music; Literary Arts; and Folk Arts.
The club’s president, Reggy Sonsino, would like to invite you to its upcoming art show and sale featuring: stained glass; oil paintings; sculptures; crafts; graphics; portraits; and photography.
Here is the information: Emmons Avenue & Ocean Avenue (Across from Loehman’s and El Greco Diner in Sheepshead Bay)
Saturday & Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m May 8 & 9; May 15 & 16; June 19 & 20
Rain dates June 26 & 27
Two local artists hailing from the former Soviet Union are exhibiting their works at the Kings Bay YM-YWHA this Saturday.
Vitaly Umansky was born in the Ukraine and lived in Israel before moving to Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. A graduate of FIT, Vitaly’s illustrations combine childish dreamscapes and imagery with mature and often political themes. You can find examples of his work at Umansky’s website.
Yana Yevdayev was born in Uzbekistan and also graduated from FIT. The Midwood resident is showing a range of colorful paintings, drawings and prints with a variety of themes. You can view her artwork here.
The Saturday evening show kicks of at 8:30 p.m. and is open to all. The Kings Bay YM-YWHA is located at 3495 Nostrand Avenue. Refreshments will be served.
For more information, please contact Ilya Bratman at info@kingsbayy.org or (718) 648-7703 x 219.
Unlike the rest of us cowardly souls who parked ourselves on the couch during last week’s blizzard, Max Sitnikov braved the cold outdoors. The 22-year-old photographer and filmmaker was rewarded with a stunning set of photos that captures the beauty of the snowfall in our coastal community before it turned to brown muck.
Sitnikov received his degree in film from Pratt Institute just last year, but he’s been making videos for eight years. He’s currently working on the release of Brighton 2, a comedic action thriller focusing on the subject of Eastern European gang crime in New York City and mostly shot in our neck of the woods. An earlier film of Sitnikov’s, a remake of SNL’s Lazy Sunday music video, garnered nearly 4 million views on YouTube.
Originally born in Belarus, Sitnikov emigrated to Sheepshead Bay in 1996. He attended P.S. 209 and James Madison High School. For more info, check out his IMDB profile.
