Unqualified Success for Pop-up Show at on Flatbush - Don't Miss It

The artist, and the ragtag group known as PLG Arts, are clearly ecstatic at the full-throated support they've received for the pop-up gallery at the old Mike's International. After nearly 250 neighbors and more showed up for the opening on Thursday, a steady stream has continued through the weekend. Brian Fernandes-Halloran, the artist, and Dynishal Gross of PLGNA are shown here decompressing after another long day:

 

The show, which runs for another week, includes paintings and interactive pieces designed to create dialogue between neighbors, and with the pieces themselves. In one crafty piece, a map of the neighborhood elicits written stories from neighbors, who are asked to place their stories in envelopes and  mount them in the appropriate spot on the map. Better yet, we're asked to read these missives at leisure, placing them back like ornaments on an xmas tree. Another map highlights the reality of stop and frisk profiling. A commercial security gate becomes a canvas for visitors to paint whatever the heck they like. And a looping video plays edited pieces of visitors sitting and talking about anything they're moved to share. It's all very meta, but not at all pretentious or haughty, and it works great as a way to bring every kind of PLG-Flatbush-Pigtown resident together. Fernandes-Halloran seemed particularly pleased with the warmth and openness of the folks who have taken the time to get to know his work, and their neighborhood, a little better. The whole show had an air of antidote for the usual growing pains of gentrification, and for that and the overall quality of the effort, I'm happy to give the show a solid T for terrific. (this being my first ever art show critique, i've decided to use the following system: T for terrific, B for banal, S for sycophantic, D for Desperate, C for College and/or Collage, and G for Give It Up Now and Give Your Supportive Parents a Financial Break They're Retiring In a Few Years).

Lots of people were involved, so a big shout out to anyone who made it all happen over at PLG Arts and PLGNA and Eric Adams' team. Dynishal was quick to give credit to Reuven Lipkind in Senator Adams' office for hammering at the landlord for the use of the space. It's a nice chunk of real estate y'all; entrepreneurs, take notice.