Graciela Cassel: River Dreams
Curated by Melinda Wang
June 18 – October 23, 2022
Location: S.S. Lilac, Hudson River Park’s Pier 25 (West Street, cross at N. Moore Street), New York, New York
Opening reception: Wednesday, June 22, 6-8pm; RSVPs kindly requested: LINK
Hours: Saturdays, 2-6pm; Sundays 2-6pm and additional hours for special events
Free and open to the public. Masks required.
New York, NY, June 7, 2022 -- MW Projects is pleased to present “River Dreams,” a solo exhibition by multi-media artist Graciela Cassel. The exhibition will be on view from June 18 through October 23, 2022, with a public opening reception on June 22, 6-8pm, aboard the historic museum ship Lilac.
Cassel explores water as a connecting force -- linking far-flung geographies, humans to nature, and the past to the present to the future. Artworks using technology and man-made materials are her tools for diving into the natural world, and it’s the juxtaposition of the artificial and natural that allows for our deeper understanding and appreciation of the elements.
We are invited to peer into a mega-kaleidoscope, row into a river of videos, visit abstracted islands and submerge our senses in layers of images and colors. Water is the free-flowing energy that powers our dreams.
The artworks will be featured within the ship’s unique spaces, including several site-specific installations. In addition to the exhibition, the Lilac will host performances, community activities and educational events. The schedule of events will be available on the Lilac’s website at www.lilacpreservationproject.org. The exhibition and events are free and open to the public.
About the Artist
Graciela Cassel is a New York-based multi-disciplinary artist working in sculpture, video and installation. She has exhibited at venues such as at Museo del Barrio, Sotheby’s Institute of Art, Hall of Science, Varis Center at Urban Glass Gallery, Spring/Break Art Show and Anklave@Queens Botanical Garden. Cassel’s videos have received international awards and have been screened in more than 50 international festivals. She was awarded with the Queens Arts Fund in 2016 and in 2020 and won Best Director Short Film at the Barcelona International Film Awards, Best Director Short Film at the Film Festival International Nice, Best Visual Effects at the Film Festival International London and Best Artistic Film Award at the Madrid Film Festival International. Cassel earned an MA in Studio Art from New York University and received an MFA from School of Visual Arts. For more information, please visit www.gracielacassel.com.
About MW Projects
MW Projects is a cultural production and art advisory firm dedicated to bringing contemporary art to historic sites, non-traditional venues and liminal spaces. It works with emerging and established artists to transform environments and encourage dialogue about contemporary art and culture. For more information, please visit www.MWprojects.art.
About the Lilac Preservation Project
The Lilac Preservation Project is a non-profit organization whose mission is to restore the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Lilac as a unique vehicle for maritime education and community activities. The Lilac is a 1933 lighthouse tender that once carried supplies to lighthouses and maintained buoys for the U.S. Lighthouse Service and the U.S. Coast Guard. Decommissioned in 1972, the Lilac is now a historic museum ship berthed at Hudson River Park’s Pier 25 in the Tribeca neighborhood of New York City. The Lilac regularly hosts free exhibitions, tours and educational programs. For more information, visit www.lilacpreservationproject.org.
Image: River Dreams (2022), wood, glass and urethane paint, 24 x 24 x 3 inches
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