Brooklyn Hi-Art! Machine is a community-based, socially-engaged, collaborative public art project in Crown Heights, Brooklyn that explores art-making as a community-building tool. During their CPP artist residency, Brooklyn Hi-Art! Machine founders Mildred Beltré and Oasa DuVerney sat outside with their Crown Heights neighbors, asking them to share stories and discuss how long they have lived in the neighborhood, what they would like to see change, and what they hope will remain the same. The interviews are part of their Before it's Gone: Archive to Survive project, which also includes family portraits and photo documentation of cherished family objects belonging to these neighbors. Their neighbors’ words and images will be published in a book documenting their concept of a community-based archive.
The Met’s Civic Practice Partnership (CPP), launched in 2017, catalyzes and implements creative projects that advance healthy communities by bringing the skills and interests of neighborhood stakeholders together with those of The Met and artists who are socially minded in their practice. Invited CPP artists work in their own neighborhoods across New York City and at The Met to develop and implement ambitious projects and forge meaningful collaborations.
The Civic Practice Project is made possible by The William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust.
