QCA’s Queens Art Express & LIC Art Center’s Open Studios dazzle

Sculpture by Eun Nye Yang, LIC Art Center Open Studios

This weekend was a big one for Long Island City, and Queens in general: the LIC Artists Open Studios, the kickoff of Queens Council on the Arts’ Queens Art Express, and the 100th birthday of LIC’s favorite bridge – the good ol’ Queensboro.

LIC Art Center‘s Open Studios reflected the sprawling diversity of Long Island City’s artists. Everything from photo-realistic portraiture to abstract paintings to ceramics to stunning works of figurative sculpture – and even Lego art – were on display. The M55 and AES Galleries in the ground floor also participated in the event. Live music performances took place outside throughout the day on the loading dock of the Secret Theatre, and Saturday featured local musicians as well as dance performances by the LIC School of Ballet, also located upstairs in the LIC Art Center.

‘University of Trash’ at SculptureCenter, LIC (photo: Jason Mandella)

SculptureCenter, one of the 7 train stops during Sunday’s Queens Art Express events, featured The ‘University of Trash’ exhibition: an experiment in creating alternative architecture out of found materials in the style of radical urban projects like those of the 60s. This man-made University will be hosting courses, lectures, presentations, and workshops throughout the summer, but you shouldn’t forget to check out the ‘In Practice’ series of unforgettable installation work downstairs in the catacomb-like lower-level galleries. Let’s just say it’s a spooky experience in and of itself (especially if you’re down there alone).

Postcard from ‘Queens Sky’ exhibition at Local Project, LIC

At Local Project, Renzo Ortega’s ‘Queens Sky’ exhibition held its opening reception with a live music performance. The clever concept behind the ‘Mail-Art’ show involved Ortega putting out an open call to localites, requesting them to send in postcards with their words and/or artistic conceptions and impressions of the Queens sky. The result was a colorful and at times quite poetic picture of the local landscape we’ve all come to know so well. It also served as a welcome reminder of how important it is to maintain this kind of communal participation in the arts that is so vital to our neighborhood.

Post by Audrey Dimola