From ABC7 New York · · 1m 20s
Art honors artists lost in Red Hook warehouse fire
A year after a devastating fire destroyed a historic artist warehouse, the Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition gathers to remember and heal through art.
In brief
A year after a devastating fire destroyed a historic artist warehouse, the Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition gathers to remember and heal through art. The community that survived the fire is more important than the physical space it lost, and artists are working to rebuild together. Originally reported by ABC7 New…
Five-alarm fire destroys artist warehouse
A devastating fire destroyed a Red Hook waterfront warehouse that housed hundreds of artist studios for 35 years, providing affordable workspace to the creative community.
Artists gather to process loss
One year later, the Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition organized an exhibition in Sunset Park featuring interactive works by artists affected by the fire, exploring themes of loss, memory and recovery.
Memory becomes art material
Artist LadyK created an interactive piece where viewers breathe on its surface to trigger changes reflecting memory and identity, inspired by her own struggles remembering what she lost in the fire.
“When you breathe on this piece, it stirs up this memory; you know our breath sustains us.”
Community survives the building
Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition president Alicia Degener emphasized that the organization is not a place but a community, and despite losing the warehouse, the artists remain connected and committed to their work together.
“BWAC is not a place. It's a community. So, the fact that we lost that space... we still have our community.”
Artists seek permanent home
Despite the destruction, members of the coalition are working together to secure another permanent space nearby, determined to preserve the community that survived the warehouse fire.
The bottom line
The community that survived the fire is more important than the physical space it lost, and artists are working to rebuild together.
