New Outdoor Art Welcomes Community Back to Ridge Hill

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Christina Rae
Buzz Creators, Inc.
crae@buzz-creators.com
914-358-5080

New Outdoor Art Welcomes Community Back to Ridge Hill
Public Art Installations feature artwork by Two Westchester Artists

YONKERS (August 18, 2020) — With brick and mortar retail in the Hudson Valley and the State’s museums and galleries slowly re-emerging from their pandemic-induced dormancy, it is perfect timing for the Ridge Hill shopping center in Yonkers, NY, to be bringing contemporary art to the streets for all to enjoy in consultation with ArtsWestchester and with the help of two New York artists. This summer, in anticipation of shopper’s return, Ridge Hill began transforming its main thoroughfare, Market Street, into an outdoor art gallery, featuring the vibrant artwork of two Westchester artists. Presented in collaboration with ArtsWestchester, the outdoor art exhibition features more than 30 colorful aerial banners designed by Alfredo Ponce (Yonkers), and two murals by Andrea von Bujdoss (aka “Queen Andrea” of Eastchester.) The works of public art are intended to bring visions of community and vibrancy to Ridge Hill’s Market Street, which has been converted into a pedestrian-only zone so shoppers and recreation-seekers can enjoy the outdoor center and comfortably social distance.

ArtsWestchester, New York’s largest nonprofit arts council, has been a leader in promoting and implementing public art projects throughout Westchester for the past 20 years. Ridge Hill reached out to ArtsWestchester several months ago to build upon a public art program that began some years ago with a stunning geometric mural by artist Nick Kuszyk.

Janet Langsam, CEO of ArtsWestchester says, “Public art has the remarkable ability to enliven our streetscapes and our communities by putting artwork outdoors where it can be enjoyed by all. Infusing the extraordinary into ordinary life, public art can provide visitors a cultural experience in the middle of a shopping spree. At this unprecedented time, support of individual artists and of public art is more important than ever. Both Ponce and Queen Andrea create expressions of color and hope in their different mediums that help us navigate more joyfully through this difficult time.”

Steve Roche, Ridge Hill General Manager, explains, “At Ridge Hill, we felt it was important to convey an uplifting message of community and hope for guests as they returned to the center, and outdoor art was the perfect way to do that. We are delighted to be expanding our partnership with ArtsWestchester and helping to promote local Yonkers and Westchester artists.” He continues, “Bringing these new installations into Ridge Hill enhances the experience for guests to visit at their leisure and promotes community and connectivity while keeping everyone safe.” Ridge Hill hopes to extend the partnership with ArtsWestchester as the year progresses to continue expanding the art programming at the retail center.

An Expression of The Times:
Lamppost Banners Feature “Community,” by Artist Alfredo Ponce
Yonkers resident Alfredo Ponce is a visual artist and designer whose work incorporates a variety of mediums and techniques including analog and digital collage, illustration, typography, photography, and graphic designs. He approached the competitive request for proposals first by traveling around the area surrounding of Ridge Hill, looking for colorful representations of the many aspects of our community and picking-up brochures, fliers, posters, and other printed materials along the way. His artwork, collectively titled “Community” highlights the diversity of the city: its various people, cultures, and ideas. Ponce considers the works representative of the call for unification during these complicated times.

Ponce says: “The outreached hands in these works show how we are all compelled to lend a hand to each other right now. I reflected on how, more than ever, our community is helping one another during these difficult times. The hands are also representations of our human desire for hope, love, care – community.”

Ponce was identified through ArtsWestchester’s competitive invitational RFP, which included proposals from other accomplished artists from the Hudson Valley Region.

Murals by Artist Queen Andrea Enliven Temporary Barricades:
Andrea von Bujdoss of Eastchester, also known as Queen Andrea, has applied her signature high-energy, graphic style to two murals on the Ridge Hill property. Queen Andrea is one of the most notable female street artists in the world, having spent nearly 20 years honing her consistently evolving style, pushing her creative boundaries, and building new, exciting visual vocabularies that are inspired by urban culture and street designs. Her artistic style is influenced by an endless appreciation of typography, as well as themes of urban life, fame, the golden age of hip hop, female superheroes, the advertising age, funk and rap music, geometry, and much more. Andrea’s new paintings are intricate and intense explorations of geometry, color, and form which create fantastical, harmonious, bright worlds of abstraction. Queen Andrea has been featured in major art shows, solo shows, magazines, books, fashion lines, brand collaborations and has curated and exhibited in numerous art shows around the world.

ArtsWestchester’s public art partnership with Ridge Hill is one of the arts council’s county-wide arts & business partnerships bringing public art to downtowns, real estate developments, and even bridges throughout Westchester County. For further public art partnership information contact: Kathleen Reckling at kreckling@ArtsWestchester.org.

 

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; promotes public art 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.

About Ridge Hill
Ridge Hill is the best destination in Westchester to SHOP, DINE and PLAY. Patterned on a classic downtown, this family-friendly outdoor center features a central Town Square and children’s play area. In addition to a mix of popular fashion, sports and technology retailers, the center is home to LEGOLAND® Discovery Center, a 12-screen National Amusements Showcase Cinema de Lux, Whole Foods Market, and many delicious restaurants including The Cheesecake Factory, Yard House, and Texas de Brazil.

Located in Yonkers, NY, at Exit 6A off the New York State Thruway and at the Tuckahoe Road West Exit from the Sprain Brook Parkway, Ridge Hill is easily accessible to all Westchester, Putnam, and NYC Metropolitan-area residents and visitors. Learn more at www.ridgehill.com and follow @shopridgehill on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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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.

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.