On Sunday, May 18 Randall’s Island Park Alliance, in cooperation with NYC Parks and The Bronx Museum of the Arts, will kickoff FLOW.14, an outdoor art exhibition open through November 2014 and aimed at fostering appreciation of the shoreline through artistic expression.

To celebrate the highly anticipated opening, The Bronx Museum of the Arts Curator Lia Zaaloff will join Randall's Island Park Alliance (RIPA) President Aimee Boden and RIPA Board members for an afternoon of art and music along the Park’s waterfront pathways. Kickoff festivities take place from 1-3 p.m., May 18 and include a Latin music and dance performance from children in the Alliance’s Musical Arts Program. FLOW.14 participating artists also will be in attendance to discuss their works, inspiration and artistic process.

This free public event encourages the entire community to enjoy FLOW.14 – an installation of site-specific artworks along the southern waterfront by emerging artists from The Bronx Museum’s Artists in the Marketplace (AIM) program. The FLOW.14 pieces are designed to reflect the Island’s colorful history and unique natural environment.

“We are so excited to collaborate once again with The Bronx Museum of the Arts to encourage the appreciation of art and the environment by visitors of all ages, and in the midst of one of the world’s greatest cities,” Boden said.

This year’s exhibition, supported by Made Event, will be on view from May 18 through November, and features four intriguing installations including:

Dean Monogenis: City Pillars will comprise seven rectilinear forms in varying dimensions, hovering just above the ground. Five vertical structures will represent the boroughs of New York City and two horizontal forms will represent the East and Hudson Rivers. The work explores how we experience and define our sense of place. By adapting the form of the “city pillar” on Randall’s Island – as a central nexus for New York City – Monogenis aims to create a calming space that encourages thoughtful interaction and reflection.

Robert Raphael: Untitled Folly will investigate the idea of an architectural “folly” in contrast to functional structures – expressing a juxtaposition found in the contrast of the Park’s lush green areas with the RFK (formerly Triborough) Bridge and the Island’s utilitarian buildings. Inspired by the Island’s early use for farming by Dutch settlers, Raphael’s folly will be based on the form of a split rail fence, in nostalgic homage to the Island’s past and the beginning of its ongoing historical transformations. 

Jessica Sanders: Ground is made up of 10 sculpted earth chairs, within sight of one another along the coastline of Randall’s Island Park. The installation will offer the opportunity to interact with a living material in a nostalgic and atypical way. The variety of forms will offer places for contemplation, play and community. Ground will change with time and use, yet will continue to grow and to replenish itself – providing a place for New Yorkers to connect with the physicality of nature.

Kant Smith: Ghost House will sit on a bluff overlooking the Wards Meadow Fields at Randall's Island Park. Constructed entirely of chain link fence, the sculpture will translate the vernacular of the baseball backstop into an ethereal and slightly surreal contemplation of the American home. The name "Ghost House" is a gesture to architect Philip Johnson's structure of the same title in New Canaan. Quietly, the piece will evoke questions of public versus private space.

“Randall’s Island is primarily known as a resource to youth, families, athletes, music fans and environmental advocates,” said Sergio Bessa, The Bronx Museum of the Arts’ Director of Curatorial and Educational Programs. “FLOW makes public art more accessible to all Randall’s Island visitors – especially residents of Manhattan, the Bronx and Queens, and we’re looking forward to continuing this popular exhibition.”

Randall’s Island Park is a unique and remarkable waterfront resource, located in the East River with views of the Queens, Bronx and Manhattan shorelines. New waterfront pathways run along the 4.5-mile shoreline, which includes almost 9 acres of restored salt marsh and freshwater wetlands. The Park also offers a track and field stadium, a golf center, a 20-court tennis center and dozens of new playing fields, as well as the Harlem River Event Site.

For more information on FLOW.14, visit www.flowartnyc.org

About RIPA

The Randall’s Island Park Alliance (RIPA), founded in 1992, is a public-private partnership with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation that seeks to realize the unique potential of 480 waterfront parkland acres anchoring Manhattan, the Bronx and Queens.  RIPA works with the City and local communities to provide an innovative and exciting destination through a wide range of sports venues, cultural events and environmental exploration.  As the dedicated steward of Randall’s Island Park, the Alliance sustains, maintains, develops and programs the Park to sup­port the wellbeing of all New Yorkers.

About The Bronx Museum of the Arts

The Bronx Museum of the Arts is an internationally recognized cultural destination that presents innovative contemporary art exhibitions and education programs and is committed to promoting cross-cultural dialogues for diverse audiences. Since its founding in 1971, the Museum has played a vital role in the Bronx by helping to make art accessible to the entire community and connecting with local schools, artists, teens, and families through its robust education initiatives. In celebration of its 40th anniversary, the Museum implemented a universal free admission policy, supporting its mission to make arts experiences available to all audiences. The Museum’s collection comprises over 1,000 modern and contemporary artworks in all media and highlights work by artists of African, Asian, and Latin-American ancestry, as well as artists for whom the Bronx has been critical to their development. Located on the Grand Concourse, the Museum’s home is a distinctive contemporary landmark designed by the internationally recognized firm Arquitectonica.