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Immersive exhibit captures ‘Dream of Brooklyn’ and its global influence on popular culture

Lordz of Brooklyn Michael McLeer/Kaves (R), Adam McLeer (L), and Kaves' partner Donna. (center)
Lordz of Brooklyn Michael McLeer/Kaves (right), Adam McLeer (left), and Kaves’ partner Donna (center) at the grand opening of ‘Brooklyn Pop,’ a new immersive exhibit payint tribute to Kings County at Industry City.
Photo by Erica Price

A new immersive exhibit celebrating Brooklyn’s global influence on popular culture is now open to the public in Sunset Park’s Industry City.

The creative force behind “Brooklyn Pop” is Michael McLeer, a founding member of the rock-hip-hop crossover group Lordz of Brooklyn and an artist known as Kaves. The exhibit, five years in the making, is described by McLeer as a reflection of his family’s Brooklyn dream, interwoven with the films, music, and art that have influenced him and countless others.

The Bay Ridge native says his world travels as a member of Lordz of Brooklyn and as Kaves opened his eyes to the borough’s global footprint and to the lack of fanfare in Kings County celebrating this achievement. He pays homage to that legacy inside Industry City’s Building 2, which is complete with artifacts and recreated sets from iconic Brooklyn-based films and television shows.

“Wherever you go, Brooklyn is respected and celebrated by all. But when you came back home, there isn’t a place that really defined that in four walls,” McLeer told Brooklyn Paper following the exhibit’s grand opening on Sept. 28.

“In this day and age, Brooklyn has become a global brand,” he continued. “But for generations now, there’s been a slow burn that has turned it this way. And I felt like, as a storyteller, there was something for me to do as an artist, as a musician, as an actor, as a director, I would use all my disciplines to bring this thing to life and really celebrate it.”

Kaves began collecting pop culture artifacts during his childhood, many of which are on display at Brooklyn Pop
Kaves began collecting pop culture artifacts during his childhood, many of which are on display at Brooklyn Pop.Photo by Erica Price
Memorabilia from The Lords of Flatbush, the 1974 cult classic film that captures the rebellious spirit of 1950s Brooklyn, featuring leather jackets, vintage posters, and iconic props from the movie. The film, starring a young Sylvester Stallone and Henry Winkler, remains a beloved homage to the era's greaser culture.
Memorabilia from ‘The Lords of Flatbush,’ the 1974 cult classic film that captures the rebellious spirit of 1950s Brooklyn, featuring leather jackets, vintage posters, and iconic props from the movie. The film, starring a young Sylvester Stallone and Henry Winkler, remains a beloved homage to the era’s greaser culture.Photo by Erica Price

“’Brooklyn Pop’ is a remarkable new interactive art installation by Kaves. This collaboration helps underscore Brooklyn’s status as a vibrant cultural epicenter, where creativity and community converge,” said Randy Peers, president and CEO of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce said ahead of the grand opening. “With the opening of this exhibit, we honor the spirit of innovation and artistic expression that continues to define not only our borough but the rest of the world as well.”

The exhibit begins by highlighting the Brooklyn Dodgers’ impact, showcasing how the team became the soul of Brooklyn before breaking its heart and moving across the country to Los Angeles.

“We were bummed out, but that’s kind of the goal for every young kid in Brooklyn who wants to become successful, to become a star,” said McLeer.

On select nights, actors will perform McLeer’s play, ‘A Brooklyn Dream,’ which takes audiences through three generations of his family amidst the exhbit’s memorabilia.Photo by Erica Price

The 11,000-square-foot exhibit continues through installations of different films, movements and music, brought to life through visual and audio aids. One room begins in a train tunnel and leads to a subway car celebrating the impact of the 1979 film “The Warriors,” while another guides visitors across the 2001 Odyssey Disco dancefloor from “Saturday Night Fever” (1977). Dorsey Wright, who portrayed Cleon in “The Warriors,” attended the grand opening and tagged the train car that honors the film.

On select nights, actors will perform McLeer’s play, “A Brooklyn Dream,” which takes audiences through three generations of his family, from his grandmother’s pursuit of stardom to his own artistic journey.

“The dream was from Brooklyn to Hollywood, and that dream is a common dream in Brooklyn, there’s so many celebrities and entertainers that came out of Brooklyn,” he said. “By me telling it through this immersive play, this Brooklyn dream comes to life with the actors, giving a real immersive experience on what it was like growing up in Brooklyn in the past three generations.”

“I did this for the people that are gone,” Kaves added. “I did this for the people that reminisce romantically about the days of old, and about the future Brooklyn.”

"Iconic memorabilia from Saturday Night Fever, including the famous Lenny's Pizza sign and the legendary dance floor where John Travolta’s character strutted his moves.
Iconic memorabilia from ‘Saturday Night Fever,’ including the famous Lenny’s Pizza sign and the legendary dance floor where John Travolta’s character strutted his moves.Photo by Erica Price

While the exhibit looks back at Kings County’s cultural past, McLeer says the “Brooklyn Way” is embodied in its residents — dreamers with an underdog spirit.

“The special thing about Brooklyn is that only the facades change; the spirit never does,” he said. “When you come here, a new immigrant comes here like the old. They have to learn how to live on top of each other and share in their culture. And that’s why some of the most incredible movies, food, and music, are made because they’re a hybrid of all these people that come to this area and inform what is called the Brooklyn way.”

Tickets for “Brooklyn Pop” start at $32 for adults, $20 for kids and $28 for seniors. For more information, visit TheBrooklynPop.com.

Additional reporting by Erica Price