Art show featuring work from BWAC fire continues this weekend in Sunset Park

A new art show titled "Every Piece Has Its Story" opened in Industry City during Sunset Park Open Studios, when artists and galleries across the neighborhood opened their doors to the public. The show continues this weekend, Friday, Oct. 24, through Sunday, Oct. 26.

The show, which predominantly features the work of Sunset Park artists, is partly a redux of a show at the Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition that was cut short after a fire condemned the building.

The exhibition, organized by Tamavis Santiago through Art Salon 787, the collective she runs, opened with a party the night of Friday, Oct. 17, in the exhibition space in Building 5 of Industry City. In attendance were most of the exhibiting artists, their friends and family, and art enthusiasts eager to see the work of local artists.

Tom Acevedo exhibited work that tells stories through depictions of the male body, meant to illuminate darker parts of the human psyche. One piece shows a man building a wall between himself and the viewer.

"It's called 'The Ivory Tower,' and it's about how people hold onto their wealth and build a wall around themselves to protect it. I was raised to believe the more you have, the more you share it," Acevedo said.

Valeri Larko, who describes herself as an urban plein air artist, displayed work depicting what she calls "overlooked places." Many of her paintings feature underpasses, cluttered streets, and peeling billboards marked with graffiti.

Luis Ramos, who goes by the artist name Inca, also showed work that heavily features graffiti. His paintings depict subway car interiors and exteriors plastered with tags, some featuring himself as a young man with his teenage graffiti crew, The Stone Killers. He also displayed dioramas of New York City street corners as they appeared decades ago, complete with period-accurate vehicles and graffiti.

The show’s focus on graffiti was intentional. The earlier show at BWAC, which was shut down by the fire, was titled "Aerosol Euphoria and NuYoRICAN Soul." The "Aerosol Euphoria" portion reflected the theme of graffiti art, both real graffiti and fine art paying tribute to New York’s history as a center for graffiti culture.

"Aerosol Euphoria and NuYoRICAN Soul" opened at BWAC on Sunday, Sept. 14. The following Wednesday, the fire occurred. The show was immediately shut down, and many pieces were destroyed, though others survived untouched.

One artist featured in "Every Piece Has Its Story," Jay Perez, who was also featured in the BWAC show, initially thought one of his paintings had been lost in the fire and began repainting it. Partway through, he learned that the original had survived. Both versions of the painting, each showing a young boy sitting beside subway tracks as a train speeds past, are included in the exhibition.

Perez’s wife, Sandra Perez, attended the opening and said seeing her husband’s work on display was his lifelong dream.

"I see him working hard at his craft all the time, and it’s wonderful to see it at home, but it is such a joy to see other people enjoy it and bring the community together," she said.

For some longtime residents, seeing art shows and parties in Sunset Park marks a major change in the neighborhood’s cultural landscape.

Sunset Park native Alex Aviles, who goes by the artist name Elstabo, said that 20 years ago, a show like this would have been unthinkable.

"I’ve exhibited all over the country — in Miami, Detroit, Los Angeles, and Manhattan several times — but never in Brooklyn, and certainly not along Third Avenue," Aviles said. "But I like the changes. When I grew up, this whole area was prostitutes and drugs."

Tamavis, the curator and organizer, was visibly overjoyed during the opening night, talking with the artists, friends, and community leaders who came to appreciate the work.

"I’m just happy these artists can see their work exhibited after the tragedy of the fire," she said. "These artists all deserve to have their stories told, because that’s what so many of their pieces do — they tell their stories."

The show will be open 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24, and noon to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 25–26