ArtsWestchester Invites You to be Part of the Making of a Monumental Work of Public Art

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Josefa Paganuzzi Costello, Thompson & Bender
(914) 762-1900; josefa@thompson-bender.com

ArtsWestchester Invites You to be Part of the Making of
a Monumental Work of Public Art

More Than 20 Community Sewing Days Scheduled for People to Work with Artist
Amanda Browder to Help Create “Metropolis Sunrise”

White Plains, N.Y. (Winter 2020) – ArtsWestchester and artist Amanda Browder, with help from many hands from throughout the Greater Westchester community, have begun work on

Rendering of Amanda Browder’s vision for the fabric sculpture, “Metropolis Sunrise”.
Photo: Courtesy of Amanda Browder

Browder’s latest large-scale fabric sculpture, “Metropolis Sunrise.” The monumental work of public art will transform ArtsWestchester’s historic White Plains building into a colorful, contemporary public art installation this May. The artwork will be revealed at ArtsWestchester’s ArtsBash event scheduled for May 28^th.

During Browder’s career, she has created fabric sculptures for more than 20 buildings. However, ArtsWestchester’s building is largest building on which the artist has ever installed one of her colorful works of public art.

To create “Metropolis Sunrise,” Browder will need more than 10,000 sq. feet of fabric that will be sewed together by volunteer stitchers from the community. In fact, Browder and ArtsWestchester are inviting tri-state area residents to be a part of the making of this original and momunental work of public art by pinning, sewing and lending a hand at more than 20 community sewing days. All ages are welcome and prior sewing experience is not needed.

ArtsWestchester’s Community Sewing Days kicked off this month with community sewing events taking place throughout Westchester and Rockland.

The quilt-like sculpture that will be unveiled in late May, will be the result of a creative process months in the making. Presented by ArtsWestchester, orchestrated and created by Brooklyn artist Amanda Browder and built by the hands of the entire community, “Metropolis Sunrise” will sweep across the brick façade of ArtsWestchester’s nine-story neo-classical building in White Plains.

Tri-state area residents are encouraged to join in ArtsWestchester’ s largest work ever of participatory public art by donating rich, saturated, colorful fabric or attending one or more community sewing days. Residents are encouraged to drop their bright, colorful swaths of non-stretchy opaque fabrics to the following participating Community Fabric Donation Centers:

ArtsWestchester, 31 Mamaroneck Avenue White Plains, NY 10601
Bennett Conservatory of Music, 18 Van Wyck Street Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520
Blue Door Art Center, 13 Riverdale Ave Yonkers, NY 10701
The Arc Westchester, 265 Saw Mill River Rd Hawthorne, NY 10532
Pelham Art Center, 155 Fifth Avenue Pelham, NY 10803
India Center of Westchester, 81 East Main Street Elmsford, NY 10523
Rye Arts Center, 51 Milton Rd Rye, NY 10580

Throughout the winter and early spring, ArtsWestchester and Amanda Browder will be hosting Community Sewing Days throughout Westchester and Rockland. Community sewing days present the opportunity for individuals, families and community groups to arrange, pin and sew the donated fabric together.

Upcoming Community Sewing Days include:

1/25 (10am-2pm): Rye Arts Center, 914-967-0700
1/26 (10am-2pm): ArtsWestchester, 914-428-4220
1/30 (10am-4pm): The Arc Westchester, 914-495-4556
1/31 (10am-4pm): The Arc Westchester, 914-495-4556
2/1 (11am-4pm): Viking Sewing Gallery, 914-725-2273
2/2 (10am-3pm): Bennett Conservatory of Music, 914-954-6045
2/8 (10am-3pm): India Center of Westchester, 914-418-5775
2/9 (10am-3pm): India Center of Westchester, 914-418-5775
2/12 (3pm-7pm): City Center, 914-644-8489
2/15 (11am-4pm): Greenburgh Public Library, 914-721-8221
2/22 (12pm-5pm): Sleepy Hollow Galgano Senior Center, 914-263-6659
2/23 (12pm-5pm): Kennedy Catholic High School & Northern Star Quilters’ Guild, 914-629-1078
2/29 (11am-4pm): Pelham Art Center, 914-738-2525 ext. 113
3/1 (11am-4pm): Pelham Art Center, 914-738-2525 ext. 113
3/7 (10:30am-3:30pm): Westchester Children’s Museum, 914-421-5050
3/8 (1pm-6pm): Blue Door Art Center, 914-375-5100
3/14 (11am-4pm): Alliance Francaise & ArtsWestchester, 914-681-8735
3/21 (10am-3pm): Yonkers Riverfront Library, 914-457-1377
3/22 (12:30pm-5pm): Yonkers Riverfront Library, 914-457-1377
3/28 (11am-4pm): Viking Sewing Gallery, 914-725-2273
3/29 (9am-1pm): Katonah Museum of Art, 914-232-9555 ext 2968

Janet T. Langsam, CEO of ArtsWestchester explains, “Amanda’s projects are so powerful because they bring communities together at every level of their making, presenting multiple opportunities for inclusion. We hope the community will embrace this project and take part in our public sewing days so that the final public art installation will be a true celebration of creativity, community and sustainability.”

The artwork is expected to be on view for up to six weeks beginning May 28, 2020 when it will be revealed at ArtsWestchester’s annual ArtsBash event. A corresponding exhibit that depicts the making of the artwork and that also showcases other major public art in the County will be on display inside the ArtsWestchester gallery as well.

This project is made possible with the support of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the NYS Legislature.

For more information about this public art happening, visit: https://artswestchester.org/a-public-art-vision-for-white-plains-by-amanda-browder/

About Amanda Browder
Amanda Browder is a Brooklyn-based installation artist known for her large-scale fabric installations on building exteriors and other public sites. Her work incorporates donated materials and local volunteers, creating site-specific art. She is the recipient of grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, and Transformation Fellowship from University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

About ArtsWestchester
For more than 50 years, ArtsWestchester has been the community’s connection to the arts. Founded in 1965, it is the largest, private, not-for-profit arts council in New York State. Its mission is to provide leadership, vision, and support, to ensure the availability, accessibility, and diversity of the arts. ArtsWestchester provides programs and services that enrich the lives of everyone in Westchester County. ArtsWestchester helps fund concerts, exhibitions and plays through grants; brings artists into schools and community centers; advocates for the arts; and builds audiences through diverse marketing initiatives. In 1998, ArtsWestchester purchased the nine-story neo-classical bank building at 31 Mamaroneck Avenue which has since been transformed into a multi-use resource for artists, cultural organizations, and the community. A two-story gallery is located on the first floor of ArtsWestchester’s historic building in downtown White Plains.

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About ArtsWestchester

For more than 50 years, ArtsWestchester has been the community’s connection to the arts. Founded in 1965, it is the largest, private, not-for-profit arts council in New York State. Its mission is to provide leadership, vision, and support, to ensure the availability, accessibility, and diversity of the arts. ArtsWestchester provides programs and services that enrich the lives of everyone in Westchester County. ArtsWestchester helps fund concerts, exhibitions and plays through grants; brings artists into schools and community centers; advocates for the arts; and builds audiences through diverse marketing initiatives. In 1998, ArtsWestchester purchased the nine-story neo-classical bank building at 31 Mamaroneck Avenue which has since been transformed into a multi-use resource for artists, cultural organizations, and the community. A two-story gallery is located on the first floor of ArtsWestchester’s historic building on Mamaroneck Avenue.