World Views
By Xaviera Silva
Starting in June of 2001, fifteen artists made their
way each day through the crowds of briefcase toting
business professionals, then past three security check
points, in order to venture up to their studio space
in the sky. There they worked side by side on the 92nd
floor at One World Trade Center, sharing ideas and forming
friendships with one another. The artists were taking
part in the World Views studio program, sponsored by
the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, or LMCC, a thirty-year-old
non-profit arts organization.
Since 1997, the World Views program, also sponsored by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, has given emerging artists five months of 24 hour access to over 10,000 square feet of free studio space. The program was conceived by the Port Authority in an effort to utilize unused office space in a way that would attract businesses back to the World Trade Center following the 1993 bombing. Each artist involved in the program is auditioned before a panel of judges from several New York City arts organizations. They come from a variety of cultural and artistic backgrounds and use various artistic mediums to portray their impressions of the vast and glorious views from the 92nd floor of one of the tallest buildings in the world.
Since
the September 11th attack, this program and the LMCC
have suffered tremendous losses. Like countless other
former residents of the World Trade Center, they have
lost their place of residence and their artworks. They
have also suffered the irreplacable loss of one of their
colleagues, Michael Richards; a Jamaican born World
Views sculptor who was lost in the attack, having spent
the night in the studio the evening before. An extremely
talented artist, Richards was at the studio on the morning
of the September 11th attack, working an his sculpture,
an homage to the forgotten African American pilots of
World War II called The Tuskeegee Airmen. His works
have been described as being strong, charismatic and
full of gentle grace, and had been displayed in numerous
shows and exhibitions.
As the city recovers, so does the LMCC and the World
Views Program. Using office space generously donated
by France Telecomm NA, the LMCC has begun the arduous
task of restoring order to their organization, while
at the same time finding compensation for lost materials
and studio space for the displaced artists of World
Views, and two other LMCC artist programs, Studioscape
and Thundergulch.
At a reception at the Whitney Museum in late September,
LMCC Executive Director Liz Thompson assured LMCC employees,
past and present participating artists, colleagues and
friends, that the LMCC's mission to provide support
to artists and arts organization will continue.
As
part of the World Views program, the artists would have
finished their residency by inviting the public to an
open exhibition of their works at the World Trade Center
Studio Space. Since all of the works of the Summer 2001
World Views artists were lost in the attack, the LMCC
has devoted itself to lending support to its artists
so that they can recreate their lost artwork for an
exhibition scheduled for December 1st at the New Museum
of Contemporary Art. According to a press release from
the New Museum, the show will be located on the Museum's
first floor gallery and will run through January 13.
A memorial to Michael Richards will also be featured
at the exhibition. Part of the proceeds from exhibition
sales will go to the Twin Towers Fund.
A current World Views artist, Kara Hammond, is grateful for the support the LMCC has shown, and is working hard to recreate her pieces, which will depict abandoned spaces of corporate environments. She says, "the LMCC has been kind of an open door, and they will help in any way they can." She claims that following the attack they responded immediately to all of their artists with phone numbers to organizations for aid and support. Kara also says that the LMCC's Director of Visual Arts, Mouktar Kocache has found studio space for everyone who needs it -- a task that is not easily accomplished in this city, where living and work space are highly sought after. As for the other artists in the program, Kara says that they have also been eager to lend their support, saying, "They have been pretty open with information and helping each other try to get through red tape. Everyone has been e-mailing each other with whatever help that can be found."
From Kara's perspective, the September 11th attack has solidified the ties between this year's Worlds Views artists. "Our residency would have been over last week, and it's not over yet."
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Related Links:
Americans
for the Arts
The Lower
Manhattan Cultural Council
The
New Museum
The
Studio Musuem in Harlem
The
Whitney Museum
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