We are pleased to announce that Infinite Archive has been awarded a 2018 Neighborhood Grant from Citizens Committee for New York City to help with the construction of Starlight Park Social Club: Memory or Movement. We join more than 300 grassroots groups across the city working to build community and improve our neighborhoods. Learn more about Citizens Committee www.citizensnyc.org.
This interactive project invites Starlight Park visitors to re-enact the open air dances once hosted in the park. Using native plants to physically demarcate the perimeter of the dance floor and as conceptual framing, this installation utilizes stone to mimic the parquetry of a central medallion often found in grand ballrooms at the turn of the 20th century. Memory and history are intertwined through a fragmentary reconstruction, referencing what once was and what has been forgotten. Additionally, the use of native plants pays homage to indigenous societies and contemporary issues related to ecological concerns.
We aim to enliven civic engagement, promote sociability and encourage experiential participation through this public installation. Additional extensions to this project may include planned events, such as dances, music or theatre. A digital component is also possible through QR codes embedded in discrete signage along the perimeter of the outdoor ballroom. The QR codes may detail the history of the park itself, information about the plantings, samples of popular music from the 1900’s through the 1930’s and the evolution of American dance culture.
Participating Artists: