THE WORKERS PAVILION
The original Workers Pavilion concept in 2012 was to become an ongoing public project that would bring attention to worker issues from their own perspectives. The Pavilion would showcase worker creativity and collectivity while creating a space for dialogue. The process of designing, engineering and construction of the structure would also build on worker solidarity while considering a larger labor context. The Harry Van Arsdale Center has a history of addressing issues of immigrant labor struggles and job safety creating a solid partnership. Barrie Cline developed these ideas through her exposure to the Occupy Movement, conversations with Sheet Metal Worker Bobby Andrew, support from the Social Practice Queens program and the Harry Van Arsdale Jr. Center for Labor Studies. The idea was further developed In association with New Immigrant Community Empowerment (NICE) with hopes to realize the public project in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Corona Queens, NY, for December of 2012. (Home of the 39’ & 64’ World's Fair)
Barrie introduced the Worker Pavilion with sketches to former student Jaime Lopez, a Local 3 union electrician, and Corona Queens native. Groundwork for the Workers' Pavilion included seeking out the involvement of NICE members and fellow electrical union members / Van Arsdale students. Other union tradespeople joined in creating a printed publication of photographic images and texts that helped express feelings about their work. There was a special focus on safety conditions seeing this as a good place to start building common ground. The publication was realized with fellow SPQ student Sol Aramendi and her own PROJECT LUZ, and distributed with the help of the Van Arsdale Center and the SPQ program on April 28th, 2013 honoring Workers Memorial Day in Corona Plaza.
Barrie introduced the Worker Pavilion with sketches to former student Jaime Lopez, a Local 3 union electrician, and Corona Queens native. Groundwork for the Workers' Pavilion included seeking out the involvement of NICE members and fellow electrical union members / Van Arsdale students. Other union tradespeople joined in creating a printed publication of photographic images and texts that helped express feelings about their work. There was a special focus on safety conditions seeing this as a good place to start building common ground. The publication was realized with fellow SPQ student Sol Aramendi and her own PROJECT LUZ, and distributed with the help of the Van Arsdale Center and the SPQ program on April 28th, 2013 honoring Workers Memorial Day in Corona Plaza.
Jaime Lopez photographed by fellow electrician Julio Hernandez Jr. Project Luz
Building on the momentum of the publication, workers united to design a low cost modular exhibition structure with a prominent lighting component. Jaime Lopez expressed that light has a special effect on normal objects, illuminating them to create emphasis on certain issues while highlighting the assault on workers with beauty. Jaime led skill shares in soldering, safe use of different tools, and basic circuitry. The lightboxes where to feature work from PROJECT LUZ, current bilingual text panels about immigration created by Van Arsdale Center students, and images of NICE members during a hunger strike and march about immigration reform and deportation. The team found light as a source of inspiration for the project and worked vigorously to give commonly used construction materials new life and purpose.
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The first iteration of the Worker's Pavilion took place in Corona Plaza on August 24th, 2013 creating a nomadic illuminated structure that the workers continued to improvise throughout the day. A sense of camaraderie and spontaneous artistry was generated, particularly amongst Jaime and several NICE workers as they experimented with both functional and more abstract aspects of the structure. As nightfall approached, Jaime began to power up each section of the structure, members of the Corona community gathered around and cheered as it became totally illuminated. The Worker Pavilion has sparked into a community of tradespeople who continued to work on future iterations of the Pavilion. The second iteration of The Workers Pavilion happened at O.E 2014. Our team now operates under the title of the Workers Art Coalition.