The Queens Museum announces the opening weekend events lineup to coincide with the opening of the Museum’s expansion and inaugural exhibitions—Pedro Reyes: The People’s United Nations (pUN), Peter Schumann: The Shatterer, New York City Building Time Lapse, 2009–2013: Photographs by Jeff Chien-Hsing Liao, Queens International 2013, and Citizens of the World: Cuba in Queens. A broad variety of exhibitions and programming highlight the expanded gallery space and showcase the Museum’s dedication to presenting contemporary art that engages the uniquely diverse communities it serves. Also timed with the inauguration of the new building, the museum announces its new visual identity, a renaming of the institution from Queens Museum of Art to the Queens Museum, and a newly redesigned website.
The Queens Museum’s opening month of activities will kick off with the Target Wide Open Weekend featuring multicultural welcoming ceremonies on Saturday, November 9. In addition, the inaugural group of artists in the Queens Museum Studio Residency Program will open their doors and welcome the public into their studios. The weekend also features performances by artists in Queens International 2013 with extended hours on Saturday night for the Museum and exhibition opening party.
Queens Museum’s Target Wide Open Weekend continues on Sunday, November 10 with a community pilgrimage in which community groups will meet in nearby Corona Plaza (103rd street and Roosevelt Avenue) and march to the Museum in solidarity. Further event highlights on Sunday include a Build Your Own Drone aerial video workshop and demonstration with Queens International 2013 artists Georgi and Nina Tushev. That afternoon, folkloric dance groups and bands will perform, reflecting the cultural diversity of surrounding neighborhoods.
Monday, November 11, the final day of Target Wide Open Weekend,is a free open house for families. The Museum’s teaching artists and art therapists will each have their own stations for families to take part in a variety of art making and crafts from around the world. Monday evening, Peter Schumann will perform a Fiddle Sermon and bake bread as part of the opening reception for Peter Schumann: The Shatterer.
The following weekend, further programming includes an Ander Mikalson performance of Score for Two Dinosaurs along with the Corona Youth Orchestra. Also on Saturday, November 16, the Museum will host a Book Crossing & Literary Flash Mob, a book exchange and performance event, as well as a sound performance by Richard Garet titled Mnemonics: for Space Invaders. Additional weekend highlights include a Queens poetry event and book launch curated by Paolo Javier with Gabriele Tinti & Burt Young, Warren Lehrer, and Franklin Bruno.
For the full schedule of opening weekend events, please visit www.queensmuseum.org