There’s a new space for visual and performance artists, filmmakers and musicians on Fourth Avenue!. It’s called Zora Space and they officially opened their doors this week at 315 4th Avenue in Park Slope.
They are also calling out to artists to submit proposals for shows at the space, which was conceived by its founder-director Zohreh Shayesteh, as a welcoming environment for artists to experiment, interact, communicate, create and showcase their work.
Zora’s inaugural exhibition is called: Dialogue Beyond Reality (June 18-August 15). It serves as a jumping-off point for an eclectic line-up of events, performances, screenings and exhibitions. The schedule demonstrates the inclusive vision of Ms. Shayesteh along with the team of expert curators she has assembled: Renowned jazz sax player Jay Rodriguez (director of musical programming); noted Iranian-American artist Nahid Hagigat (art director); artist/weaver Cynthia Alberto (coordinating director); and poet/essayist Zohra Saed (programming director).
An independent filmmaker whose documentary “Inside Out” was the official selection of 2006 Tribeca International Film Festival, Ms. Shayesteh feels passionately about the importance of the arts—and that served as her motivation for opening Zora Space. “As an independent artist who believes that art is a necessity for everyday life, I feel that the art world has become too commercialized—an exclusive club where artists are viewed as money making mechanisms. With Zora Space, I wanted to provide a place for artists who have something to say, regardless of who knows them and how much money they can generate for themselves or for their agents…a space for the arts, artists and art lovers.”
Dialogue Beyond Reality, which runs through August 15, features eight cutting-edge New York-based artists (Robin Antar, Behar Behbahani, Meredith Bergmann, Alex Cascone, Roya Frassat, Aphrodite Désirée Navab, Nosrat Nosratian and Anderson Zaca) using photography, sculpture and video in a group show highlighting diversity juxtaposed with unconventional harmony and synchronization.
Upcoming performances at Zora Space run the gamut from a concert featuring Gio Moretti, the Italian singer-songwriter (6/24); Poetics of Iran, an evening of poetry and music featuring a sampling of Persian poets (6/26); Samantha Chance performing BACK TO THE GRAVEYARD, a solo show about the joys and perils of family dinner planning, bad art, drinking in public, and, of course, flesh-eating monsters (7/31); among many other offerings.
Very importantly: Ms. Shayesteh is inviting visual and performance artists, filmmakers and musicians to submit project proposals (information available on the website).
Refreshments at Zora Space include coffees, beverages and a variety of moderately priced snacks and sandwiches—with an influence of far away places. Reservations are encouraged for special events.
Zora Space
315 4th Avenue (between 2nd & 3rd Streets)
Park Slope, New York
718 832-4870