Artist Maria Lupianez, a current resident of the Elliott-Chelsea Houses, was selected for this project in response to her submission to an open call released by ArtBridge in June. A panel of local community members and ArtBridge were drawn to her realistic captures of people in everyday moments. In this exhibition, Maria’s work portrays 60 residents living at the Elliott-Chelsea and Fulton Houses, capturing their personalities and positive energy. She received interest and permission from these residents during socially-distanced community engagement events at each of the NYCHA campuses.
Hisham Akira Bharoocha, a former Facebook Open Arts artist in residence, is known for his use of color and attention to detail, and his contributions to community-oriented public artworks. Hisham’s work considers each subject’s personality based on survey responses they filled out and projects their qualities in the shapes and colors surrounding them, like intricate and colorful environments formed by aura-like intertwining of shapes.
Maria and Hisham will lead a series of virtual art-making workshops at the Hudson Guild in mid-January for children in the neighborhood, ages 6-18. The resulting student artworks will be displayed in the windows of the Hudson Guild and the Fulton Community Center.