Socrates Sculpture Park
Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox museum
Socrates Sculpture Park is an outdoor museum and public park where artists can create and exhibit sculptures and multi-media installations. It is located one block from the Noguchi Museum at the intersection of Broadway and Vernon Boulevard in the neighborhood of Astoria, Queens, New York City. In addition to exhibition space, the park offers an arts education program, artist residency program, and job training.
History and description
Socrates Sculpture Park is located atop the mouth of the buried Sunswick Creek.<ref name="Kadinsky20162">Template:Cite Hidden Waters NYC</ref>Template:Rp In 1986, American sculptor Mark di Suvero created Socrates Sculpture Park on an abandoned landfill and illegal dumpsite in Long Island City. The Template:Convert site is the largest outdoor space in New York City dedicated to exhibiting sculpture. The former landfill was renovated into the current park by a team of contemporary artists and local youths.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The park operated for 14 years with only a temporary city park status. In 1998, the park was given official status by then New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani as a permanent city park after a developer attempted to erect luxury apartments and a marina on the site after the park's lease had expired.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2005, the park was among 406 New York City arts and social service institutions to receive part of a $20 million grant from the Carnegie Corporation, which was made possible through a donation by New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite press release</ref>
At the Socrates Sculpture Park's main entrance hangs a Template:Convert billboard structure that has been an ongoing installation since 1999. The original billboard was a mirror image of the street created by artist Mathieu Borysevicz<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> built by ongoing volunteer Ross H. Radtke, a mechanical engineer and neighbour.
New billboards are installed once or twice per year. Artists work with printmaking and photography to create an image that greets visitors as they enter the park and sets the tone for the current show. The billboards are in conjunction with each spring exhibition.<ref>"Template:Cite web</ref> The park has numerous workshops and public programming. Many artists lead tour programs of current exhibitions, there are summer art projects, and various free public events, such as yoga and capoeira on Saturdays and outdoor movie screenings on Wednesdays that begin in mid-July and end in mid-August.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> GrowNYC runs an Astoria Farmer's Market in the park every Saturday during the summer months.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In January 2019, the Park announced its plan to construct and install permanent staff offices made out of shipping containers. This would be the park's first permanent on-site structure.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Artists who have exhibited at Socrates Sculpture Park
Socrates Sculpture Park offers emerging and established artists an opportunity to make a temporary or permanent public sculpture in a New York City park.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2018, Virginia Overton became the first female artist to have a solo exhibition at the Socrates Sculpture Park.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Other artists who have shown work at Socrates Sculpture Park include:
- Vito Acconci 1986
- Maren Hassinger 1988, 2022<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Merle Temkin 1991
- Sanford Biggers 2001
- Agnes Denes 2015
- Virginia Overton 2018
- Guadalupe Maravilla 2021<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Mary Mattingly 2023<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Governance
The current executive director of the park is John Hatfield, former deputy director of the New Museum of Contemporary Art.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Some former executive directors of the park include Alyson Baker (2000–2011),<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Kathleen Gilrain (1995–2000),<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Eve Sussman (1993- ).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Board of directors
Source:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Mark di Suvero, chair emeritus
- Stuart Match Suna, president
- Robert F. Goldrich, vice president
- Ivana Mestrovic, secretary and treasurer
- Joel Shapiro
- Maxine Frankel
- Richard Gluckman, FAIA
- Hugh Hardy, FAIA
- Brooke Kamin Rapaport
- Ursula von Rydingsvard
- Deidrea Miller
- Shaun Leonardo
- Alison Saar
- Kimberly Strong
- Martin Silver, Ex Officio
See also
References
External links
Template:Public art in Queens Template:Astoria, Queens Template:Protected areas of New York City Template:Authority control
- Parks in Queens, New York
- Sculpture gardens, trails and parks in New York (state)
- Former landfills in the United States
- 1986 establishments in New York City
- Museums in Queens, New York
- Art museums and galleries in Queens, New York
- Art museums and galleries established in 1986
- Astoria, Queens
- Long Island City