Sensing a space
The Cuts (2024) Joseph Balbuena
I've faced shifting circumstances and uncertainty as a daily routine for most of my life. With the constant changes came insecurity, But as the eyes adjust to the dark, I felt reassured with the fact that I couldn't fully trust what will happen next. If I were to give a name to the series of photos I've taken this week it would be named "The Cuts" for its the changes we don't pay attention to, It's the space I feel comfortable in but don't belong to.
untitled (2024) Nat Banaszek
This location represents my childhood park. I have very fond memories of this place, such as playing hide and seek and tag with my friends around the trees and bushes, enjoying ice cream sold by venders in the hot summer, as well as playing with water guns and balloons. The same kids would come and play, I practically knew every kid in the neighborhood. Everyday I would look forward to getting out of school to be in my comfort place that was across the street.
Insomnia Cookies (2024) by Janneurys Colon
unfinished artwork #3 (2024) Zeinebou Dia
This piece was started at my old house during a very pivotal moment in my life and just finished this week as I've moved out after my parents have separated and currently living with my dad. its about the changing of environments and return to form. an end to a chapter as I did "finish" it this week as I gave it to a very close friend unfished on purpose. with a poem on the back about our relationship. how just like this artwork it is unfinished but that doesn't mean it ever needs to be finished for understanding to be extracted. I feel nothing is truly finished, there is always more that can be done but sometimes its better for things left unsaid.
untitled (2024) Melina Jorge
My favorite space is wherever the trees are. It's just something about nature and it's natural beauty that makes me feel so at peace.
Beyond the lights there’s another side (2024) Jacqueline Farquharson
This short video was shot on the Ferry ride from Brooklyn to Manhattan. A short trip but the movement of the water and calmness of the city is what grabbed my attention. Sometimes I think we get distracted from the beauty of the city, so I had to remind myself and others how remarkable it is.
untitled (2024) Yanitza Ordonez
I chose my room because it makes me feel safe, secure, and carefree. Outside world could be very cruel and coming back home to a comfy space that you create feels like such a relief. It also makes me feel like a kid again because I’m able to be myself, play video games, dress up, etc. I also really love my pets and they make my home complete <3
Sunsets in the Desert (2024) Cory Sierra
This piece was inspired by one of my favorite, hiking locations in Phoenix, Arizona, Papago park. This is also where “ hole in a rock” is located. Sitting with the “hole” and watching the landscape ahead, while the sun sets is breathtaking, and fills me up with serenity.
A paradise for one (2024) Sabre Lee
This is the small garden behind my apartment building that I love to go to whenever I feel stressed. It's quiet and secluded from the busyness of NYC. I often times found myself taking naps under the cherry blossom tree. But recently due to construction, the small garden is being blocked off and I can no longer visit my favorite spot. I miss seeing the birds fly around bushes, smelling the breeze of air as the leaves rustle. Now I look out my window at the garden longing to sit there again.
Physically, it’s about a willow tree on Roosevelt island that it’d frequently sit under as a child, but more broadly its about the longing you feel both when you realize you can’t return to being a kid (for better or for worse).
untitled (2024) Eden Battice
I chose Central Park as my landscape because I have many memories there and although it isn’t my favorite place, the people I go with often positively impact the experience that I have when I’m there. My sister was the most important part of the image because I wanted to encapsulate the idea that often times a “favorite place” isn’t the physical place itself, but a person.
El Barrio (2024) Koralys De La Cruz
This is a collage of four pictures I took myself over the years during my trips to the Dominican Republic. The location is a small province in Dominican Republic (East of Dominican Republic) called Hato Mayor Del Rey. It is my parents’ hometown and we visit frequently. This location is very important to me because it constantly teaches me about my culture and helps me remain grounded in my ‘roots’ even though I was born in the United States. The buzz and busy life of the big city can be overwhelming and Hato Mayor Del Rey is the complete opposite. It brings me peace being at this location, and it feels like home every time I go.
Franklin Av Shuttle (2024) Romial Calice
This location is the train station behind my high school where I use to wait there reading, listening to music, joking around and sometimes finishing discussions me and my friends had at school.
9W 8501 (2024) AJ Volkov
The location that inspired my work is upstate New York- where my dad recently moved to. I usually spend around half the week in this area, and there's definitely a lot of adjustments to make that I never came to face with in the city. The atmosphere is completely different, it's quiet, and almost gloomy in way, being either dark or foggy most of the time when I'm outside. He also lives on a busy road, so I can't really walk anywhere like I would in the city. Even if I could, the closest store is probably about 20 minutes away on foot, meaning that I'm usually at home or getting around by car. While I described the space as gloomy, I don't see that being a bad thing at all, and I've come to appreciate the bare forests surrounded by fog that I pass by in morning, and I find the silence of the sky comforting when I come back at nighttime. This space to me is an escape from the city, and while I don't see myself completely moving here, it gives me a whole new perspective for a few days a week and I think that's pretty cool. Also we have a fire pit which is the best part (and why I included fire in my artwork). I love a good s'more.
One Umma One Body (2024) Zeinebou Dia
The inspiration came from where I pray my 5 daily prayers, despite being in my Brooklyn room, facing my sometimes messy closet- every time I stand to I am connected to billions of people around the world.
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Charlie can’t remember a time where he has woken up to birds chirping, it had to have been years. His eyes crack open to peer at his phone that sat on his nightstand.
8:14 am
He can’t believe he was up this early, sitting up, he stretches his arms above his head with a yawn. For once he felt… good waking up. The sun coming into the room warmed his skin and the morning breeze seeping into the room through the crack opened window felt refreshing.
While he was awake, all he wanted to do was curl up in his sheets and enjoy the cozy atmosphere. Off in the distance he could hear a voice singing, music playing in language that was familiar but he could not understand. Charlie can’t help but smile as he listens, Shay must be up cleaning, he was always an early bird.
As if on cue does the door quietly open and a head poke inside the room, it seems Shay was trying to be quiet thinking Charlie was still asleep.
“Hey” Charlie yawns a bit as he curls up a bit to get more comfortable, eyes lazily gazing at the other. Immediately Shay’s eyes would widen before lighting up at the miracle of Charlie being awake this early.
“What are you doing up?” Shay would grin before flopping onto the bed, whatever he was doing long forgotten now that Charlie had his attention.
“Not sure but today feels good” he smiles back before turning over to wrap his arms around Shay, pulling him in close. Burying his face into Shay’s side would Charlie inhale the scent of his strawberry shampoo, just taking the other in.
“You should wake up earlier more often, mornings would be even nicer with you around” the other sighs, playing with Charlie’s hair.
Both of them for a while had come to the conclusion that they had both needed a vacation. Shay wanted to go somewhere tropical, with beaches and blue waters. While Charlie hated the heat and the idea of sand in his shoes sounded awful, such a relaxing experience with Shay sounded perfect. Too bad they lacked the money and taking time off work also means another form of lacking money, so they would just have to wait for a bit. But moments like this were fine too. Laying together like this on their teal blue sheets with the sun hitting them and a gentle breeze passing through, Charlie could close his eyes and imagine the waves crashing. He would never go deep into the water as both he and Shay were afraid of the deep blue but he imagines how cool it would be to see whales in the distance. The warmth of Shay and the sound of his breathing seems to transport him away.
“Can you stay?” Charlie reaches out to cover them both with a large fleece blanket, he’s already reaching out to turn on the tv.
“I guess I can put aside my Saturday morning cleaning for you…” Shay rolls his eyes, in reality he wanted nothing more than to spend a morning with his partner.
With the two of them settling in, despite the dreams of vacations or fun spots he and Shay like to visit, nothing beats the soft bed in their own home.
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Maybe today I’ll be chosen. Maybe today is the day I’ll get to see what's beyond that door that swings open and close. The door is placed in such an evil place - may I add. Far enough that it feels an eternity away, but close enough that I can feel the sun touch me if opened at the right hour. Each time it swings open and close, my hope seemingly is opening and closing with it.
I’m not, ~ not ~ happy here. I’m surrounded by others who I’ve known since, well, since I could know. Yet, I still catch myself staring at that door longingly. Both envious of the others who have been chosen and get to see what's beyond and sad because here I still am, and there they go. I may never get to see them again, but that’s not the sad feeling that lingers. I’m sad because it wasn’t me. Although it feels selfish to say, it’s the truth. I’m stuck here for another day wondering how the sun feels to be fully submerged in its bright, warm rays. For now, I settle on the hope that a person walks in at just the right time.
Every time the door opens and a new person walks in, I’m ready. I’ve been preparing since I could hear their tires in the gravel outside. Each stone moving is an alert - “hey this might be your turn!” I take a breath and settle into my best version of my pose. I become the biggest oxymoron. Stiffening myself, stopping my breathing, and putting in all my might, to look as effortlessly at peace and serene as possible. Despite my best efforts, no luck.
I guess people aren’t into cats? Who’s still spewing the nasty cat propaganda?! The dogs get chosen… Even the stupid birds, figuratively, fly off the shelves. And don't even get me started on the fairies in ‘baths’. They're usually sat on top of dry bowls (only the special fairies get water in their bowls, but they never leave so how special could they really be?) Did you hear me? DRY, BOWLS. And they get chosen and get to see the outside?? It’s fine, everything is fine, I’m fine... My time will come, I can feel it, I think?
The sun is beginning to set, it’s getting late. I close my eyes, and feel hope escaping me. Honestly? I’m getting tired of hoping. I’m getting tired of trying. I need to make peace with the fact everything I’ve ever known is everything I will ever know. It’s fine. I’m fine. Everyone else seems happy here, I can be happy here too. In these four walls… collecting dust… Pretending to meditate… I don’t care anymore about making it out of here. The sun hitting me isn’t bliss anymore, it’s a bully. Mocking me every time it touches me. I don’t want to look at it anymore. It’s too much. I must accept the gray. I am gray and everything around me is gray. Everything I know and will know will be gray. It’s fine, I’m fine… For the first time, I think I feel nothing? I feel numb, stone, if you will.
The door swings open, I don’t even bother to open my eyes. Why bother? Everything is fine, I’m fine. It is strange to have people browsing at this hour but who cares they’ll probably pick one of those stupid fairies in their stupid dry bowls anyway.
I can feel someone standing in front of me, but they’re probably looking at the dumb dogs in front of me. What do I care? Ugh, two people have joined them, now there’s three people just taking up space in front of me. Sounds like a husband and wife? And maybe their mother? And they’re so loud! What could they possibly be so excited for in this sea of bleak gray? Don’t they know I just want to be numb but instead they’re making me think! About them! Whoa, is someone touching me? Wait, have they been looking at me?! I’ll be a great gift for who?? There’s no way this is actually happening. Everything is fine, I’m fine!
I’m brought up to the register, I’ve never even seen this part of the store! Everything looks so different. I feel so different. Is this, hope? I’m about to see the outside!! Oh sun, I can wait to feel you all over me! I’m being rolled out on a cart, the cart! I give everyone I’ve ever known one last loving, triumphant look before I close my eyes and take a deep breath as I hear the front door swing open.
I’m outside! I’ve been loaded into what I believe is the storage area of a car? I even have a few familiar faces sitting beside me! Although, one of those familiar faces being a stupid happy dog who so confidently knew their time would eventually come. I don’t let that bitter feeling trouble me too much because I’ve made it! We’ve all made it!
************************************************************************
I was gifted to a young couple with clearly incredible taste, because they adored me the moment they saw me. I didn’t know the feeling of love and acceptance could feel so good. I don’t know what those feelings were at all. I don’t think any of us gray folk did. One day we were made, and unless we were chosen to leave the shop; everything we were destined to know was gray. But now? Wow, I never knew life could have so many colors, so many sounds, and so many critters! I live in a garden! I have all sorts of critter friends like bunnies, cats and dogs (the furry kind! Not gray like myself.), squirrels, birds of colors I couldn’t even imagine and the couple who gave me my home. They both spend a lot of time with me; the boy gardens and the girl sits and meditates with me. Everything is no longer just fine. I’m not just fine. Life is wonderful, even on the cold snowy days and the days it rains so hard I can’t see in front of me. Because eventually the sun will come out again and things won’t always be gray. Oh sun, thank you for giving me colors.
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My favorite place is being in the back seat of a car at night. I love to stare at the window as every building comes and goes and the light wave travels through the windows to my glasses. It is always a mystery because looking left leaves you wondering what's on the right. It is an amazing feeling just to breathe and think as you move from one location to the next every second.
A place I'd rather be By A-jean
It's a cold night
Alone in the back seat of a cab,
excited to experience. This new feeling
My mind is driving like racing cars
As my body Shivers from one thought to the next
The lights of the street move as my thought flashes by.
I look pretty
I am excited
It will be a great night
I can't wait to be there
I wish I had stayed home instead
Many thought runs through my brain,
As I travel under the night sky and the stars
I learn to fall in love with my thoughts and beauty
A warm feeling of trust and lust
I listened to my lost memories and caught opportunities
I visit the world and countries of such beauty
To love and lust, understand and trust
That’s the feeling of traveling on the road
Sometimes most impatient, indeed
As if time has gone slower than ever
Life is as such
It is the fastest and slowest kind of travel
So In the meantime,
I'll be in the back seat of a car
Visiting, exploring, and getting impatient!
Home (2024) Jade Hernandez
The location that inspired my work is my girlfriends bedroom. It inspired me because it’s where I feel more at home. It’s where I felt drawn to the most to create art out of. When I was asked to go to somewhere important to me a place i enjoy being at I immediately thought of this location. This place holds a lot of great memories for me it’s where I’m able to be the real me with no judgement.
untitled (2024) Sheena Luke
The "location" is my mind- a place I spend the most time in and most important to me, providing comfort and support in any given moment. Self-love I guess!
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A place where many faces come and go
A place where there’s few to do, but much to know
Do kings live here?
Thousands do, but they just don’t know it yet
Black boys with no joy, because they grow to fret
Will I go to college, or will I be imprisoned before then?
Will I be on a tombstone, or will I be the one to stand before them?
These are the questions that lie within the minds
Of the kings who reside
By the bridge, that takes them away from worry
But only for so long
For wherever they go, it will still feel wrong.
The air is heavy, and the buildings jam packed.
The streets filled with holes, and the ceilings are cracked
Disease and sickness strikes those who cannot afford
Complaints filed to the city, but those in power ignore
By the bridge, is nothing like being by the shore
The kings who call this place home, are for sure worth more
(A short poem that frames a portion of the reality for young men of color, who reside in the KingsBridge area of the Bronx)
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Open the door and step outside
What do I see?
Birds, cars, and trees
Breathe in
Breathe Out
Hear the people wakngabout
This is the peace in my day
Feel the skin of my palms pressed together
Namaste
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I have been in the USA for 3 years,
Mwen vizite plizye pak
Last year in November
I learned about Central Park
From a friend
I started working in Park Avenue
But Central Park was near to my job
I went there to visit
But get shocked
You may be asking yourself why
It was so quiet
Hear the sound of birds flying in the sky
Hear the wind pass through my hair
But I pay attention to the street
I was able to know when
Cars are traveling
People sitting to
Relax
Chatting with their friend or family
Seeing people smiling
Makes me happy
Why bring the central park in my poem?
Li fe m sonje Haiti
Mwen te konn al nan pak
Ak zanmi e pafwa fanmi m
Pou nou pase yon jounen ke kontan
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Delight in one bite, an adventurous exterior
Marvelous reunion all in one packaging
—even that one from the forbidden tree
May their reign bring me immense power
My glory will come from their empyreal substance
Now let me explain their workings
Pineapple, peach, white grape, grape, strawberry, apple, lemonade, cherry, orange & tangerine
Are just a bunch of flavors
That execute false promises of the Western market
It’s all artificial high-fructose corn syrup Drenched clownery
Perfected peach
It’s talking to you through packaging
Viciously saying “EAT ME”
I stole Adam’s name
“Ah, why should all mankind
For one man's fault, be condemned,
If guiltless?”
Jeopardizing jellies
Did not just jeopardize my standards
A kind gesture
Failed to restore peace
It also victimized
Kelsy & Aniyah
A sweet downfall
That can always call to me
Through e-mail & text
Teso-Life
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Int. 1st Floor Apartment Kitchen + Dining Area - 2010 Morning
JASON, 10 years old, walks into his grandparents' new apartment space. It’s 8am and the sounds of romeo santos are playing on the radio. The smell of fresh hot chocolate reaches every corner of the room.
JASON
Buenas Dias.
GRANDMA
Buenos días Mijo. te despertaste.
JASON
Yep! Busy day today, I have a math quiz today. We are doing division. My teacher said if I can finish the quiz questions faster than her then I have the chance at the CLAW!
GRANDPA
Y eso? What’s the CLAW?
Jason sits at the dining table and takes out his ipod touch.
JASON
Here, I'll try to find it. BUT, it’s this small machine that my teacher has in her class. Just like at an arcade. You have to align the claw & then you could win a prize. If you win the prize there’s a piece of paper in the ball that could be anything! Like, no homework for 2 days, or extra points on a test.
Grandpa lowers the radio a bit to hear better. Grandma continues to be tentative in the kitchen. She stirs a pot with whisk and lowers the flame on a separate pan she has cooking up.
JASON (Cont'd)
BUT! What I really want to win today is the prize that says “Pizza Party” for the class! Everyone would be so happy!
GRANDPA
Ohhh wow. That 's good mijo. Tienes que poner
las pilas. Did you study?
JASON
Yes papa, I did. I’m really good now! That’s why I’m going against the teacher and no one else. I’m the best in my 5th grade class.
GRANDMA turns off the stove completely & sets up the table. She pours hot chocolate in 3 mugs and puts them on the table. Grandpa begins to sit down and take off his hat.
JASON (Cont’d)
(Licking lips)
Wow this looks amazing!
GRANDMA puts down plates of chicken tamales on the table and utensils to eat.
GRANDMA
Por supuesto que lo es, lo hice yo mismo.
(Looks at grandpa with a glare)
Grandpa laughs & pulls the chair out for grandma to sit.
GRANDPA
BUT I put the music on!
They all laugh.
GRANDMA
Bueno. Jason, make sure you eat up and drink everything. This will make sure you start your day off strong.
JASON takes a sip of the warm chocolate milk.
JASON
This is amazing. Thank you abuelita.
Grandpa once again puts his hat to the side & grandma puts her hands together. Everyone closes their eyes & begins to pray.
GRANDMA
Padre nuestro, que estás en el cielo. Gracias por este momento que tenemos juntos hoy. Gracias por la comida y cuidados para que podamos trabajar bajo tu gloria. Amen.
The family smiles and begins to eat their food. They continue their conversation from a distance. The sound gets taken over by spoons stirring and forks hitting plates.
CUT TO:
Int. 1st Floor Apartment Kitchen + Dining Area - 2024 Morning
Jason, 23 years old, sits at the dining table alone. He looks at his laptop wondering what to write for his AAT submission. He smiles as he looks around him and remembers the great memories he’s built at his grandparents home over the years. He calls his grandparents who are currently living in Ecuador and tells them all about how much he misses them. As he converses on the phone and closes his eyes, he swears he can still smell the hot chocolate and feel his grandparents' presence around him.
FIN.
The root of me (2024) Fahmida Rimpa
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When I started thinking about this week’s art making prompt, I wanted to portray my space through photography. When I joined the livestream I received great feedback and tips on how I could go about capturing the essence of the dance studio through my lens. However, after the stream I was reflecting on how people were telling me that I’m well spoken and my descriptions were very vivid. For this reason, I’ve decided to make a journal entry about my space. As a writer, I think it’s an important skill to be able to make an audience picture a space without them seeing it.
The space I chose as one that is meaningful to me is the largest dance studio on campus. It’s located in the communications building which is my favorite location at my school. When I applied to my school it was only for journalism. As I said, I fell in love with the communications building and all the program had to offer. On my first admitted students day I was visiting the comm building and learning new things about what was in store for me as a journalism major. At some point, my mom and I decided to go to the second floor of the building to get away from the commotion and take a look at the dance studio. The space was huge and I immediately thought wow class must feel great in this large open space. There are so many possibilities. I met a faculty member and a few dance majors and they spoke to me about the major and all that it had to offer. In all of my time applying to schools, this was the first moment I considered having dance as a second major. I knew I wanted to have dance as an outlet just in case but never saw myself majoring in it because I was ready to pursue new interests.
Fast forward to last fall, I began my first year in college as a double major with journalism and dance. Lucky for me, my favorite studio was in my favorite building. I had both my modern and modern lab classes in this studio and I can reflect on all that was around me.
What is there to see? When you walk into the studio, the first thing you notice is how high the ceilings are and how large the space really is. There are these fluorescent lights that hang by chains from the ceiling and large open windows that let in lots of sunlight throughout the day. These large open windows have curtains but they’re never closed. This is one of my favorite features of the studio because the windows really open the space up and make it feel airy. Then we have mirrors spread across the front of the studio which also have curtains. Unlike the windows, those curtains do close often when the teacher wants us to stop staring at ourselves dancing. Although I dislike when the curtains close, it ensures that I’m really in my body dancing rather than watching how I look dancing. All around the room are wooden ballet barres drilled into the walls ready for the next ballet class. On the side of the studio closest to the door is a large poster which is a body peace treaty. One of the seniors worked on a project for her senior practicum where dancers wrote positive things about their bodies and promised to take care of them. That poster stays up on the wall as a reminder to always take care of our bodies as dancers. Of course looking to the floor which is what we dance on, is lots of gray marley. It’s scratched and scuffed from dancers running, leaping, rolling, and turning on the floors. I appreciate this detail of the studio because although the floor can be sticky, all the scuffs illustrate the hard work and dedicated dancing that has been done in that studio over time.
What are the sounds of this space? Every class has a live pianist which I absolutely adore. When I was with Joffrey Ballet school, there was always a live pianist and then covid hit and I never got it back. One distinct memory I have is seeing the piano in the studio for the first time and feeling immediate joy. There truly is nothing like dancing with live music. When we have classes like modern or African, there are drums in the studio. The other obvious sound is the teacher counting 5, 6, 7, 8 or making up their own words to place with movement. There are also speakers and a sound system with a television in the studio. I often forget these are present because I’ve become accustomed to the live music but once in a blue moon if we watch documentaries, those devices come into play.
How does this space make me feel? In one word, this studio makes me feel free. When I dance in a large open space like this one, I feel unstoppable and like I can fly. I feel capable of trying new things and opening new possibilities. This space also makes me feel really eager and ready to learn because of the classes I’ve had in the space and all the insight I’ve gained from the classes. As I said, I took modern and modern lab in this studio. The modern class I took was class and my modern lab was essentially feeling the body, learning to be more grounded, and having to do improv. I personally hate improv and always have but as a dancer, it’s something you have to do. My teacher for both of these classes was a very down-to-Earth, older woman who lives by the practice of continuum. Because of this, she taught us a lot about being grounded, finding your center, moving from within, being aware of every micro-movement, and much more. Being in this space for my first semester and having a professor that was so into detail and getting completely in tune with the body and out of the mind made me discover things about myself I never have before. Improv became easier for me because I began to learn how to let go and just move instead of thinking about what movement I should do next. I got a deeper understanding of movement for the sake of movement and not to perform or look pretty. Getting in touch with the inner parts of the body made me feel more grounded, free, and less anxious in my dancing. Having that experience will always resonate with me and the studio will always be a reminder of how I discovered a different dancer within myself in my first semester.
LH Comm Room 209, Dempster, Comm studio, largest studio on campus, most booked studio on campus- you are a place for growth, new discoveries, creativity, and art making.
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On this bench
Whether in a skirt for the summer,
A raincoat in the spring,
Or winter in a trench
When it's time to release
you can find
me on this bench
On this bench
Whether I’m greeted by
A caterpillar, a grasshopper,
Or a butterfly with blue wings
I have no worries or stress
When I’m sitting on this bench
On this bench
Where cigarette butts provide
a powerful stench
and barbeques
leave a mess
Though, I could care less
Because my mind is at ease
While sitting on this bench
On this bench
A man stops walking and
sits down on a bench nearby
We say nothing to each other
We’re having private conversations
With blue and sunny sky
I hear laughter of kids close by
Couples are having picnics
I smell cheese, fruits, and cherry pie
Although that’s not my meal
I always feel fulfilled
after my time on this bench
Naomi's Super Awesome Armory Art Video (2024) Naomi Santos
This is a space that first caught my eye when I came to my college. It was a spot that I knew was gonna be a main hangout session.