PUBLIC ‘ART + PURPOSE’ FOR CLIMATE SUSTAINABILITY DURING CLIMATE WEEK NYC 2016

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The Greenest Point, presented by Greenpoint Innovations, was a community-focused sustainability awareness project. We brought together artists, musicians, celebrity advocates, and, the general public to experience trending arts and technology, while concurrently learning about local and global sustainability issues.

Faile’s “love me, love me not”

“We try to create images that let the viewer experience a visceral emotion and give room to project into the work. The idea was the timeless theme of “love me… love me not”—aiming to depict a moment that asks the question of what kind of relationship we have with nature. Are we here to love it and take care of it or not? The frog represents nature, cleansing, rebirth and metamorphosis. We used part of a traditional polish pattern in the socks as a nod to the Polish community in Greenpoint. The orientation of the image facing the city suggests a place for thoughtful meditation within our modern age.”

AskewOne & Vexta “The thread that binds us”

“I wanted to paint portraits of local people doing interesting things around sustainability within the Greenpoint area. I think it’s great to paint local faces, people with a genuine connection to the neighborhood and acknowledge their good work. Accompanying these paintings are additional short video pieces that can be accessed via a QR code that have each of the subjects speaking about what they do in their own words” -Askew

“…we are not the only ones effected by climate change. I painted the Common Loon, Bohemian Waxwing and Purple Finch all of which are native to the NY state area. Each of these birds is climate threatened or endangered according to the Audubon report. The icebergs they fly above are constructed of geometric melting shapes which are representation of the sub atomic particles that make up all matter. Further connecting us to our changing world.” -Vexta

The Beacon of Green

GreenPoint Innovations collaborated with Brooklyn Expo Center, Reveal Design Group, Philips Color Kinetics US, Brooklyn Solar Works and expert-rigging company CAN to illuminate Greenpoint's iconic water tower in high-energy efficient green lights, powered by a pop-up solar system, to demonstrate a practical and available example of how individuals within communities can be low-carbon and sustainable.

Watch the Videos

THE GREENEST POINT 2016, presented by Greenpoint Innovations, was a north Brooklyn community-focused climate sustainability awareness project produced and organized in alignment with Climate Week NYC 2016. We brought together artists, musicians, celebrity advocates, and, the general public to experience trending arts and technology, while concurrently learning about local and global sustainability issues. The project included two murals painted by three artists. One mural is at North 13th & Berry was a collaboration titled “The Thread that Binds Us” by internationally-renown AskewOne & Vexta. The second mural is located at Transmitter Park, painted by Faile, titled “Love me, love me not”. In addition, the team showcased a solar energy solution by illuminating Greenpoint's iconic water tower in green lights. In addition, in close collaboration with Askew1, Greenpoint Innovations supported Askew’s effort by curating & filming the four local environmentalists: https://vimeo.com/188181523 More information is available at http://www.greenpointinnovations.com/featuredprojects and www.thegreenestpoint.com. This pioneering street art project was made successful through the tireless efforts of more than two dozen partners and sponsors, community leaders, local businesses, individual volunteers. With special thanks to the NYC Parks Department and Assemblyman Joe Lentol, the internationally acclaimed artists, @faileart, @askewone & @vexta, who saw our vision and met it with exceptional artistic greatness, and to our team of volunteers: Stephen Donofrio, Mark MacInnis, Yvette Vexta, Martin Hoffman, and Chet Purtilar. Our most devoted thanks to the organizations who were involved! Bernstein & Andriulli, Brooklyn Expo Center, Brooklyn Solar Works, CAN Rigging, Climate Social LLC, Crest Hardware & Urban Garden Center, Green Desk, Ironlak, North Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, Northern Territory, NYC Together, Philips Color Kinetics, Reveal Design Group, RC Flying Cameras, SustainaDrone Solutions, Moon Boots, NSR, The Deep. Many thanks to the the many individuals who contributed in various ways including Aaron Lloyd Barr, Aaron Simon, Ari Eidlisz, Dana Rachlin, Edward Baker, Franny Civitano, Gaelen McKee, Jennifer Lantzas, Johanna Goetzel, John Airis, Ken Ventry, Levia Lew, Mary Salig, Sebastien Vergne, Samantha Niedospial, Sophie Plitt, T.R. Ludwig, and more. Music by Active Child.

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