Mixed-Media Installation & Digital Archive • New York • 4 weeks
Pre-production
1 week
Production
2 weeks
Post-production
1 week
Published
Launch at end of week 4
Bodega Botanica is a site-specific visual arts project that reimagines the ubiquitous NYC bodega as a canvas for contemporary art. Over four weeks, a small team will collaborate with five bodega owners across different boroughs to create immersive installations that blend photography, augmented reality, and archival materials. Each bodega will become a living archive, telling the story of its owner, its customers, and its role as a neighborhood anchor. The project culminates in a public walking tour and a digital archive accessible via QR codes, allowing visitors to experience the bodegas' histories through their smartphones. The creative vision draws from the legacy of NYC street photography (e.g., Jamel Shabazz, Martha Cooper) and the contemporary trend of 'hyper-local' storytelling. By embedding art into everyday spaces, we challenge the traditional gallery model and bring art directly to the community. The installations will be designed to be respectful of the bodegas' operations, using subtle interventions like window decals, shelf labels, and AR overlays that enhance rather than disrupt. What makes this project unique is its collaborative, community-driven approach. Each bodega owner will be a co-creator, sharing their personal narratives and selecting images from their family albums. The resulting artworks will be a blend of documentary and imaginative, celebrating the bodega as a cultural institution. The project also addresses themes of gentrification, immigration, and small business survival, making it timely and resonant.
Bodega Botanica is a site-specific visual arts project that reimagines the ubiquitous NYC bodega as a canvas for contemporary art. Over four weeks, a small team will collaborate with five bodega owners across different boroughs to create immersive installations that blend photography, augmented reality, and archival materials. Each bodega will become a living archive, telling the story of its owner, its customers, and its role as a neighborhood anchor. The project culminates in a public walking tour and a digital archive accessible via QR codes, allowing visitors to experience the bodegas' histories through their smartphones. The creative vision draws from the legacy of NYC street photography (e.g., Jamel Shabazz, Martha Cooper) and the contemporary trend of 'hyper-local' storytelling. By embedding art into everyday spaces, we challenge the traditional gallery model and bring art directly to the community. The installations will be designed to be respectful of the bodegas' operations, using subtle interventions like window decals, shelf labels, and AR overlays that enhance rather than disrupt. What makes this project unique is its collaborative, community-driven approach. Each bodega owner will be a co-creator, sharing their personal narratives and selecting images from their family albums. The resulting artworks will be a blend of documentary and imaginative, celebrating the bodega as a cultural institution. The project also addresses themes of gentrification, immigration, and small business survival, making it timely and resonant.
2 roles still open