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Did you know that "Bushwick" originally meant "forested neighborhood"? Well if you did, good for you, but we sure didn't until we dropped by the lively recycled art oasis that artists Skewville ^[6], public arts organization Trust Art ^[7] and Factory Fresh Gallery ^[8] put together this past weekend at the Festival of Ideas ^[9]. The colorful space featured some really cool recycled art like a sculpture of street signs "walking" by Leon Reid IV ^[10] and a crocheted world installation by Olek ^[11], and is a miniature version of what the collaborative is trying to create in Bushwick, Brooklyn.

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Going back to that interesting tidbit about Bushwick meaning “forested neighborhood,” currently, the moniker could not be less fitting. The NYC ^[12] Department for City Planning recommends a minimum of 2.5 acres of open space for every 1000 people. At the moment, Bushwick has a paltry 0.5 acres per 1000 people. The Bushwick Art Park Project ^[7] is hoping to up that number just a little bit by creating a community park on Vandevoort Place, which is currently a garbage-strewn wasted area. They would use the existing walls for murals, install thought-provoking sculptures on the street, and rotate the art on a seasonal basis, giving many artists the chance to show off their work.

The mini version of their park on the Bowery was a great way to spread the word about the Bushwick Art Park and was buzzing with people wanting to know more about the colorful installations. Leon Reid IV ^[10]‘s yellow and green street signs recycled and reworked into “pedestrians” immediately caught our eye with their vibrant color and personality. Those who wanted to rest their weary feet after a long day of walking were welcome to take a seat on Skewville ^[6]‘s clever recycled street dividers turned into benches. In fact, we saw one of the “elements” of artist Olek’s exhibit, a crocheted human, trying them out, too. For those of us who were feeling a bit thirsty, Specter ^[13]‘s reclaimed Target shopping cart piled high with wooden “beers” was enticing, though most of us stayed away at the thought of splinters. While she wasn’t technically a part of the Bushwick Art Park, Girlzilla, who was crafted by the Lower East Side Girls Club ^[14] certainly looked like she was about to stage and invasion.

+ Bushwick Art Park ^[7]
+ Inhabitat’s Festival of Ideas coverage ^[15]

Photos © Yuka Yoneda for Inhabitat