"Evoking Memory as a Living Entity" — Lincoln Center Commemorates San Juan Hill Community
The Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts hosted an interactive art exhibition event featuring the work of visual artist María Verónica San Martín at the David Rubenstein Atrium on Wednesday, Sept. 28. The exhibition was held during the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, ending Oct. 15.
Photo by Bethany Johnson.
The exhibit “Moving Memorials” featured a collection of San Martín’s book-like sculptures and pieces that “captures spirits of displacement and remembrance… evoking memory as a living entity that meaningfully takes up physical space and invites interaction,” according to the advertisement for the exhibit.
Photo by Bethany Johnson.
The event was held as part of the Sounds of San Juan Hill project, a series of events that “reconsiders the culture and heritage of New York's lost neighborhood of San Juan Hill, once part of the Lincoln Square area.” The community was displaced by New York urban planner Robert Moses in 1959 to build the Lincoln Center campus, which opened in 1962.
Photo by Bethany Johnson.
“I grew up in Manhattan,” said Alberto Mateos, an event attendee. “When I was young they were knocking the buildings down [for Lincoln Center].”
The Chilean born, New York City based artist brought the corollary experiences of her people into the space of Lincoln Center as she picked up each piece and shared the story behind it with her audience. After the presentation, attendees were invited to touch and interact with the artwork themselves.
Photo by Bethany Johnson.
“I really love to see people being engaged and to touch the art because art is not just to be seen inside of the windows and to don’t be touched,” San Martín said.
Towards the end of the evening, San Martín also led an interactive art workshop for event attendees. Projects included folding a miniature book from a sheet of paper and creating a hand-printed design with printer’s ink and supplies. She shared that the goal of the workshop was “to invite in the community and people who live around to be part of the event, not just as an audience but as a participatory audience.”
Photo by Bethany Johnson.
“I really love [the exhibit] because it’s about collective memory, which is something that I’m working on,” said Juliette, an international student from Argentina attending the event.
Lincoln Center’s history also connects to San Martín’s “Moving Memorials” exhibit. “My work is also related with displacement of humans, part of a forgiveness of what Lincoln is doing,” San Martín said.
“I didn’t know that people were displaced when coming here,” Juliette said. “This is a good step forward, holding events in which people who have been very much affected by it are able to just explain their history and their ideas.”
Photo by Bethany Johnson
Today, the presence and promotion of events like “Moving Memorials” in Lincoln Center is a step towards reconciliation with its past.
“The reparation is so hard but it needs to be done,” San Martínan said. “I don’t think it’s just physical… It has to be contributions, for example, to put in social spaces to gather people, community, public spaces, public resources.”
Photo by Bethany Johnson.
Admission to the art exhibition was free to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. “When they were building the theaters, for the first two years, everyone got in free,” Mateos said. “I think they’re doing the right thing…There are expensive operas but for the summer, for people on vacation or kids out of school, there’s something to do.”
The next event in the Sounds of San Juan Hill series at Lincoln Center is the grand reopening of David Geffen Hall with two performances from composer Etienne Charles, showcasing his work San Juan Hill: A New York Story. The concerts will be performed by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra on Saturday, Oct. 8 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Sofia Valdes is a senior studying Journalism, Culture and Society. She is the Executive Producer at ESTV.
Bethany Johnson is a senior studying Journalism, Culture and Society. She is the Photo Editor at the EST.
Melinda Huspen is a junior studying Journalism, Culture and Society. She works as the Campus Editor at the EST.