@Work. An pandemic-era art project presenting essential workers thoughts about their work. 2022
Banners of three essential Red Hook Workers, part of a larger project.
The 2022 public art project, @Work was by Zoe Beloff and Eric Muzzy. Portraits were made of essential workers in acrylic paint. These were then put on banners with QR codes linked to documentary films they made were essential workers describe their work and what it means to them.
PortSide got involved when Beloff asked if a NYC Ferry deckhand could be photographed on our ship. We said yes, and suggested that workers from our local containerport also be included in the project. That's how Adam Lopez and John Agro were added. We then introduced Beloff to Red Hook Terminals, the company running the Red Hook container terminal.
Adam Lopez is a Longshore Worker at Red Hook Terminals
Video: HEAD ON A SWIVEL
John Argo is a Superintendent at Red Hook Terminals.
Video: THE HEAD AND THE ARMS
Sean Heron is a deckhand for NYC Ferry who was interviewed and photographed aboard PortSide NewYork's flagship Mary A. Whalen.
Video: THE SUNSETS
The project was done in collaboration with Katherine Carl, Deputy Director of The Center for the Humanities at the CUNY Graduate Center and the Slought Foundation.
Zoe is a visual artist and filmmaker. She aims to make art that entertains, educates, and provokes discussion. With a focus on social justice, she draws timelines between past and present to imagine a more egalitarian future.
Eric studied documentary filmmaking at Temple University. PortSide NewYork is grateful to the artists for allowing these three peices to be included in Red Hook WaterStories and on our FenceMuseum (the Atlantic Basin fence).