Scherezade: Paradise Redefined
Edith Altschul Lehman wing

September 5 – January 6, 2006

Dominican-born, New York-based artist, Scherezade is creating a large-scale, multimedia installation that will open at the Lehman College Art Gallery on October 17 and run through December 15. The reception will take place on November 9 from 5:00-7:00 pm. The public is invited to attend.

Scherezade’s installation is inspired by the hopes and dreams of the close-knit Dominican communities of New York City where she finds endless complexity in the process of assimilation. The installation examines the issue of what really defines home and national identity and it explores the expectations of finding a paradise on new soil with its promise for the future.

In the installation, soft sculptures resembling tents are lighted from within and serve as a metaphor for hearth and home as well as transience. Their outer surfaces are printed with images of the city and graffiti-like drawings. Religious and cultural symbols are also incorporated into the drawings along with glimpses of tropical landscapes. The rich diversity of the Dominican people is evident in the printed imagery. Sounds of the city and home conversations mingle and emerge from within the sculptures. The work evokes memories of another time and place and alludes to the larger, universal saga of the immigrant experience.

Preparatory drawings and studies will accompany the installation. The exhibition will also include “La Gloriosa", an animated video that references merengue and island politics.

This exhibition is made possible in part with grants from the New York State Council on the Arts and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.