Jameco Exchange

89-62B 165th Street, Queens 11432



Description

No Longer Empty is pleased to present Jameco Exchange, a site-responsive exhibition and socially engaged education platform that revolves around the art of storytelling about a place: Jamaica, Queens. Located on 165th Street in the heart of downtown Jamaica–between the old trail and the former Beaver Pond–Jameco Exchange interweaves themes of commerce, movement, and travel, considering how both objects and stories create resonant forms of communication and exchange.

Jameco Exchange takes its name from the etymology of “Jamaica” (Queens)–a distortion of the name of the Jameco (or Yamecha) Indians–and the first settlers' purchase of Jamaica for two guns, a coat, powder and lead. From its origins as an ancient trade route to a rural village, today's downtown Jamaica is a vibrant commercial and intermodal corridor.

With a plush history of trade and commerce, jazz and hip-hop; Jamaica’s rich political heritage includes the abolitionist spirit of 18th-century New York Senator Rufus King; the activism of 19th-century farmer, abolitionist and publisher Wilson Rantus; and the political activism of former Black Panther Assata Shakur. “The Green,” an African-American homestead from the 1800s that once ran parallel to Jamaica Avenue is now concealed by concrete, industrial buildings and garages, weathering the next crux of significant change.

Jameco Exchange features artworks informed by the retail vernaculat and the cobblestone pedestrian mall in which it is situated, the social culture of Jamaica Avenue, and the histories of Jamaica, Queens, through the lens of collective narrative.


Location: 89-62B 165th Street (between Jamaica and 89th Ave.), Queens

Hours: Thursday - Sunday, 12 - 6pm

An exhibition of works by Addam Yekutieli is on view at Think Before You Ink tattoo studio, with a response by owner, visual artist and tattoo artist Richard Parker
Location: 167-16 Hillside Avenue, 2nd Fl.
Hours: Thursday – Saturday, 12-8pm 

For information about upcoming programs, please scroll down or click here.

Jameco Exchange is curated by Rachel Gugelberger. Education and public engagement projects are curated by Sara Guerrero, including the Community Advisory Council, work experience programs for teen curators and docents, an educational hub and social practice projects that engage education as an art form. This project is created with the ongoing assistance of PJ Gubatina Policarpio, Education and Public Engagement Fellow; Lo Ehrhart, Education and Public Engagement Intern; Juliana Steiner, Curatorial Intern; and Project Manager Sneha Ganguly.

Jameco Exchange was made possible through a Neighborhood Challenge grant received by No Longer Empty from the NYC Department of Small Business Services and the New York City Economic Development Corporation. This project is in partnership with Jamaica Center BID and is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and with generous support from NYC Department of Small Business Services, New York City Economic Development Corporation, The Malka Fund, the Wolf Kahn and Emily Mason Foundation, the Robert Lehman Foundation and Greater Jamaica Development Corporation. The five-part serierted by the New York Council for Humanities.

We gratefully acknowledge the Community Advisory Council*, a network of community partners and experts who shared ideas, made recommendations and will make collective use of the project space and educational hub. Special thanks to: Kelsey Brow, Jocelyn Goode, Kareem Hayes, Catinca Tabacaru Gallery; Instituto de Visión; Think Before You Ink, Ronald Feldman Fine Arts and Richard Hourahan at Queens Historical Society.

*Community Advisory Council: Saiku Branch, Director of Afrikan Poetry Theatre; Kim McNeil Capers, Outreach Coordinator, Queens Library; Stephanie Davis, poet and Poetry Editor of Newtown Literary, and Queens Council on the Arts Jamaica Arts Leaders 2015-16 Program Fellow; Sherese Francis, poet, writer, Blogger of FuturisticallyAncient.com; Heng-Gil Han, Director & Curator, Jamaica Flux; Cathy Hung, Director of Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning; Simone Jhingoor, Co-Founder Jahajee Sisters; Brandon Lee, artist and Teaching Artist at Children’s Museum of Art; Rejin Leys, Visual Artist and Queens Council on the Arts Jamaica Arts Leaders 2015-16 Program Fellow; Monica O. Montgomery, Director of Lewis Latimer Historic House; Tunisia Morrison, independent curator and Founder of VOYCE; Odathrowback, visual artist and carpenter; Richard Parker, visual artist and owner of Think Before You Ink; Prerana Reddy, Director of Public Events, Queens Museum; and Kenrick Ross, Director, Indo-Caribbean Alliance.

Please take our visitor survey to share your experience of Jameco Exchange. 
For more information, contact info@nolongerempty.org

Follow and join the conversation online at #nolongerempty #jamecoexchange @jamaiacaavenue  #theave

Press
Going to (Jamaica) Queens: an old rapper hangout gets an artworld assist, The Village Voice 
"No Longer Empty" Invigorates Jamaica, NYC's Art Scene With Jameco Exchange, Untapped Cities
Your Week Untapped: Top 10 NYC Events May 16-22, Untapped Cities 
Your Week Untapped: Top 10 NYC Events July 11-17, Untapped Cities
Locals Turn Trash into Sculpture as Part of Jamaica Art Exhibit, DNAinfo
Editors' Picks: 6 Art Events to See in New York This Week, Artnet News 
Jamaica arts exhibition celebrates temporary run, Times Ledger 
Jamaica Art Exhibition Enters Final Week, Southeast Queens Press 
 


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Going to (Jamaica) Queens: An old rapper hangout gets an art-world assist

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