Transforming America Through Art: A Vision for Brooklyn’s Community
Brooklyn Navy Yard
Forecourt at Building 92
141 Flushing Ave at Carlton Ave
Brooklyn, New York
May 18 – December 17, 2024
Image: Jean-Clause Cancedda and the Brooklyn Navy Yard
Forecourt at Building 92 (141 Flushing Ave at Carlton Ave)
Accessible 24 hours
Transforming America through Art: A Vision for Brooklyn’s Community features photographic reproductions of collaborative textile artwork in the publicly accessible forecourt of Building 92 and within its dedicated exhibition gallery. The interdisciplinary installation is rooted in the impact of art and representation of Brooklynites who have responded to the universal prompt of using one word to describe their hopes for the future of America.
As an extension of the storytelling amplified in the public art installation, the Ladd brothers will also curate an indoor exhibition on the ground floor gallery of Building 92. The exhibition will help contextualize the public art installation by delving into the background of the Ladd’s “Scrollathon project” and exploring their history of utilizing the arts to foster community engagement.
The Ladds are known for vibrant, highly textural artwork that evokes shared memories, working at the intersection of design, applied, and fine art. Their works represent treasured people, places, and memories, often including materials attuned to adaptive reuse, drawing on their skills with handcrafted techniques such as sewing and beading.
This installation acts as a prototype for a larger commission the Ladds have received to be part of the 250th anniversary celebration of the United States’ founding at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.