VOA标准英语2012--Nuts and Bolts of Art in Brooklyn

 

Nuts and Bolts of Art in Brooklyn

Screws and metal washers are typically used in construction. But a customer at Brooklyn’s Crest¹ Hardware store used them to create this image of company founder², Manny Franquinha. 

This month, the store is doubling as a gallery for the fifth annual Crest Hardware Art Show, featuring nearly 300 works by more than 120 artists. Everything on display is about hardware or made from it.

Throughout the store, reimagined tools share space with real tools … and toilet seats are a perennial³ theme, according to visitors.

Art created from hardware includes this peace symbol made of welded nails; a geometric sculpture assembled with plastic pipe, and a colorful hanging plant in the garden section made of plastic bottles.

The venue⁴, of course, is a store, not a gallery. This appeals to artist Chris Camperchioli a New York newcomer who hopes to display his work at Crest someday.

“I think it’s great to see some work that’s outside of a normal gallery setting," said Camperchioli. "That’s what I’m used to doing and if you’re in a white cube [exhibit space], it doesn’t matter where you are. I think it’s really cool to be in a very neighborhood hardware store.”

Some of the art is abstract, some is whimsical, some of it grotesque⁵. This piece entitled Octopi Wall Street is a play on [the English words for] the Occupy Wall Street protest movement. 

Visitor Yoav Litvin says the show reveals the expressive⁶ nature of Brooklyn’s diverse immigrant community.

“This store is trying to bring that kind of message to the people; a focus on art and how art is fundamental to any society, any free society. It’s the expression of every free society," said Litvin.

The exhibit is free, but most of the works are for sale, with prices ranging from $15 to $15,000 for this sculpture. Yoga Warrior⁷ costs $8,000. Crest Hardware donates all its proceeds to the Brooklyn Reliquary, a museum that collects local memorabilia. 

The store's current owner and art show curator, Manny’s son Joe Franquinha, says the exhibit advertises the store, but more importantly, expresses appreciation⁸ to the community that supports the 50 year old family business.

“Being able to showcase artwork for all of the artists who are our customers and beyond, and for people who wouldn’t normally feel comfortable going into a gallery, feel comfortable walking the aisles⁹, taking a map, looking at the listing and appreciating art," said Franquinha.

The month-long Crest Hardware Art Show kicked off with a one-day festival attended by some 6,000 people, 50-percent more than last year. Joe Franquinha says he expects the show to keep on growing. 

1 crest   

n.顶点；饰章；羽冠；vt.达到顶点；vi.形成浪尖

参考例句：

• The rooster bristled his crest.公鸡竖起了鸡冠。
• He reached the crest of the hill before dawn.他于黎明前到达山顶。

2 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

3 perennial   

adj.终年的；长久的

参考例句：

• I wonder at her perennial youthfulness.我对她青春常驻感到惊讶。
• There's a perennial shortage of teachers with science qualifications.有理科教学资格的老师一直都很短缺。

4 venue   

n.犯罪地点，审判地，管辖地，发生地点，集合地点

参考例句：

• The hall provided a venue for weddings and other functions.大厅给婚礼和其他社会活动提供了场所。
• The chosen venue caused great controversy among the people.人们就审判地点的问题产生了极大的争议。

5 grotesque   

adj.怪诞的，丑陋的；n.怪诞的图案，怪人（物）

参考例句：

• His face has a grotesque appearance.他的面部表情十分怪。
• Her account of the incident was a grotesque distortion of the truth.她对这件事的陈述是荒诞地歪曲了事实。

6 expressive   

adj.表现的，表达…的，富于表情的

参考例句：

• Black English can be more expressive than standard English.黑人所使用的英语可能比正式英语更有表现力。
• He had a mobile,expressive,animated face.他有一张多变的，富于表情的，生动活泼的脸。

7 warrior   

n.勇士，武士，斗士

参考例句：

• The young man is a bold warrior.这个年轻人是个很英勇的武士。
• A true warrior values glory and honor above life.一个真正的勇士珍视荣誉胜过生命。

8 appreciation   

n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨

参考例句：

• I would like to express my appreciation and thanks to you all.我想对你们所有人表达我的感激和谢意。
• I'll be sending them a donation in appreciation of their help.我将送给他们一笔捐款以感谢他们的帮助。

9 aisles   

n. (席位间的)通道, 侧廊

参考例句：

• Aisles were added to the original Saxon building in the Norman period. 在诺曼时期，原来的萨克森风格的建筑物都增添了走廊。
• They walked about the Abbey aisles, and presently sat down. 他们走到大教堂的走廊附近，并且很快就坐了下来。