Author Archives: Christina

Speaker Corey Johnson, IAC and The
High Line donate food

The donations of food boxes were made possible by funding from both IAC, a consortium of companies headed by Barry Diller, and The High Line. Donations were coordinated by Speaker Corey Johnson of the NYC Council, and spearheaded by Erik Bottcher, Chief of Staff for Speaker Johnson’s office. THANK YOU TO ALL!

In addition to Erik, also shown in the photograph are a few members of the Westbeth Emergency Response Committee which was formed in early March consisting of resident volunteers – filmmakers, actors, painters, writers, musicians, photographers, etc. Organized into a system of communication and feedback via floor captains, the committee has coordinated the distribution of free masks ( many handmade by volunteers from the Westbeth Beautification Committee), free safety glasses (a donation from former resident), information bulletins, shopping assistance, and emergency help.

The Committee has worked closely with the Westbeth Board of Directors, the CEO of Westbeth, and the Westbeth Artists Residents Council who themselves have worked tirelessly with Westbeth’s office, maintenance and security staff to ensure a safe, healthy and positive environment for residents and essential personnel.

Click on images to enlarge.

Volunteer Opportunities City Wide

Contact NYC Council Speaker Corey Johnson for info. The demand for help is enormous.

Corey Johnson’s Chief of Staff, Eric Bottcher has identified various community and and church organizations in our neighborhood that could use help during the crisis. It could be as simple as making a phone call to chat with apartment-bound senior, or delivering medication.

Contact Eric at: ebottcher@council.nyc.gov

Faten Gaddes featured in Bedford and Bowery

How One Photographer Stuck at Home Keeps Herself from Snapping

During quarantine, Faten Gaddes doesn’t just use cleaning products to disinfect her home—she poses next to them. In her upcoming series “Postcards from Home,” the Tunisian photographer puts her own twists on the iconic “Keep Calm” posters, evoking irony and humor from life indoors under coronavirus.

The “Postcards from Home” series consists of 16 photos in which Gaddes stages a variety of household items and cleaning products that are keeping us safe by preventing the spread of COVID-19. In one, captioned “Keep Calm and Clean Your Mind,” Gaddes wears a dress made from a white trash bag while holding a vacuum and standing on a spread-out paper towel roll. In another, the artist poses in the background, wearing black gloves and a mixing bowl on her head, with Tylenol boxes, pink latex gloves, antibacterial wet wipes, an assortment of multi-purpose cleaners. In the foreground, a plush Minion wears a face mask.

During the pandemic, Gaddes has chosen to isolate herself from the media and instead, focus on her practice and meditate. “The only time when I have a connection is to take news of my family in Tunisia,” she said. Isolation has enabled Gaddes to see the good side of our current reality, and how being creative doesn’t require a lot of means. For her, just having shelter and the ability to isolate alone is already a luxury. As an artist, she doesn’t perceive confinement as punishment but a potential source of inspiration. “I find that time is slowing down and the objects around me are taking more room, their images are becoming more focused, their colors more bright,” she added.

– by Hoa P Nguyen. April 22, 2020

Read the complete article in Bedford and Bowery HERE