Eco-artist Anne Percoco came up with a cool way to integrate awareness with amazing artwork in one fell sloop: She made a raft sculpture out more than 1,000 plastic water bottles — discarded in an Indian pilgrimage town — to call attention to the polluted Yamuna River.
An image of Percoco’s “Indra’s Cloud” was among the exhibits from contemporary artists on display last month at Pier 41’s Liberty Warehouse where BRIC Arts|Media|Bklyn held its 30th anniversary celebration, honoring artists and individuals who have helped to shape our vibrant, creative community.
A Who’s Who of gallery biggies feasted on hors d’oeuvres, slurped cocktails and bowed to the talents of, among others, Eve Andrée Laramée, Alex O’Neal, Tracey Baran and Aron Davidson.
Ron Gorchov, who exhibited his expression of primal forces swirled by color and form entitled, “Study for Zoology,” was presented the Contemporary Art Lifetime Achievement Award.
Live music by Brooklyn band Railbird, and multimedia artists Rebecca Gaffney and Jon Williams, kept the magical mojo in tune but the cherry on the cake was a silent auction of honoree works — hosted by Sara Friedlander, Postwar and Contemporary specialist at Christie’s.
The offerings provoked the eye and the mind.
A gouache water painting by Libyan-born Fawad Kahn, named “Perilous Commute,” exploded with vibrant imagery of vehicles and objects — his take on violence, terrorism, consumerism and the complexity of global culture — while Kathryn Hillier’s evocative image, “Apocalyptic Hawaii,” explored the split between nature and culture.
“I am interested in instances which touch on the paranormal,” she stated mysteriously.
Bushwick’s Miguel Luciano looked to a children’s illustration of a standing shaman for his piece, “Cosmic Taino,” fanned by radiating red beams and flashing energy circles to symbolize cultural pride and spiritual insight.
The salute to emerging and established artists was just another feather in Brooklyn’s creative cap said BRIC Executive Director Leslie Schultz.
“It celebrates the borough’s growing status as a world-renowned art capital,” she bragged.
Reach reporter Shavana Abruzzo at sabruzzo@cnglocal.com or by calling (718) 260-2529.
