MAPACA

Mid-Atlantic Popular &
American Culture Association

Panel: negotiating encounters: nyc public spaces.

Presentation 3.

This project attempts to figure out what Governors Island is to New York City and if it really is by/for New Yorkers. What does Governors Island offer New Yorkers that they don’t already have on the mainland? How can it be used as a park for culture/recreation? So far, from what we have experienced, the island is a medium for artists to use. Artists can establish summer residencies on the island, using historical houses for art instillations/exhibits/pop-up shops. And we think that this is the real purpose of GI to NYC, a cultural medium as opposed to just another place for relaxation. Because GI is secluded from the mainland, it forces you to really be stuck in whatever is happening there. Our observations will focus on the interaction between artists and visitors - but we also want to understand where these visitors are coming from. By the end of the park’s season (September 27th), we’ll know where the majority of park visitors are coming from based off a survey being administrered by another graduate student intern. She can provide us with zip code information for visitors, which (along with other survey information) could really show who is coming to the park, from where, and why.