An immersive installation by artists Colleen Flanigan and Judith Pleva connects human development to the ecosystems of Brooklyn’s native oyster reefs.

Opening Reception: Thursday, June 2, 2016, from 5 PM – 7 PM
Brooklyn Bridge Park Community Room, 99 Plymouth Street, Dumbo
Gallery Hours: Monday through Sunday, 8 AM - 11 PM

Inspired by Brooklyn’s native oyster reefs, NYC Oyster Project will feature color photographs of Colleen Flanigan's underwater sculptures and an installation of Judith Pleva’s unbound multimedia scrapbook. Flanigan and Pleva’s work illuminates the beauty of marine life as well as the relationships between organisms in New York City’s waterways. This immersive installation examines the kindred associations between organisms and their environment and sheds light on the benevolent influence of public parks and nature reserves on the human psyche. NYC Oyster Project celebrates the improvement to the New York Harbor’s human environment provided by the construction of Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Colleen Flanigan is a socio-ecological artist. Flanigan’s sculptures and participatory multimedia exhibitions investigate environmental issues including species endangerment and ecosystem regeneration. Judith Pleva is an artist, environmentalist, and a humanitarian. Through their involvement with NYC Oyster Project, Flanigan and Pleva aim to bring publicity to hands-on volunteer-driven oyster reef restoration in New York City.

NYC Oyster Project is presented by Brooklyn Arts Council and Brooklyn Bridge Park. Funding for this project is provided, in part, by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the New York City Council and Council Member Stephen Levin. 

A talk with the artists and curator will be held on Saturday, June 25, 2016 at 1 PM at the Brooklyn Bridge Park Community Room at 99 Plymouth Street in Brooklyn. The talk is free and open to the public. Seating is limited. 

About Brooklyn Arts Council (BAC):

Now in its 50th year of service, Brooklyn Arts Council (BAC) is the borough’s leading nonprofit organization supporting artists and cultural groups in all disciplines. BAC reaches hundreds of thousands of artists and audience members each year through music, dance, film and visual arts programs, web-based directories and communities, arts education, urban folk arts initiatives, grants, training programs and artists services.

About Brooklyn Bridge Park (BBP): 

Brooklyn Bridge Park (BBP) is the not-for-profit entity responsible for the planning, construction, maintenance and operation of Brooklyn Bridge Park, an 85-acre sustainable waterfront park spanning 1.3 miles along Brooklyn’s East River shoreline. As steward of the park, BBP has transformed this previously deteriorated stretch of waterfront into a world-class park where the public can gather, play, relax and enjoy sweeping views of New York Harbor. The self-sustaining park was designed by the award-winning firm of Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Inc. and features expansive lawns, rolling hills, waterfront promenades, innovative playgrounds, sports facilities and the popular Jane’s Carousel. BBP serves thousands of people on any given seasonal day, who come to picnic, walk their dogs, play soccer, jog, bike or roller skate. Brooklyn Bridge Park is a signature public investment for the 21st Century and will be an enduring legacy for the communities, elected officials and public servants who made it happen. For more information, please visit brooklynbridgepark.org.