"Ritalin, Robots and Revolution" Infiltrate Hastings

This year alone, 45 Main Street in Hastings has served as a , and, most recently, an art gallery.  For Monday's opening, there was  very little outside the building to signify its purpose—no marquee, no sign, not even a street number, just a window display featuring an eerie winter wonderland with whispers of Andy Warhol.

Once you step inside you will experience an eye-popping treat. The exhibit "Brave New Worlds: Ritalin, Robots and Revolution—a Multi-Media Art Event" features original creative work by first-year students at Purchase College.  According to the event program, the students "through visual art, music, poetry and performance…investigate the geographic, political, social, technological and aesthetic frontiers that most urgently confront us in the 21st century: what risks do they present?"

The event was curated by the not-for-profit organization 12 Milesnorth and Purchase College instructors Eleanor Paynter and Nicole Miller. Founded in 2009 by Liz Liebeskind, Niki Armacost and Barbara Prisament, 12 Milesnorth LTD is a progressive arts organization founded to support and showcase local artists, musicians and performers while exploring new paths and maintaining familiar ones.

One student exhibit titled "Amaized" brings to light our country's (and indeed the world's) over use of corn; a product that is cheap and overproduced.  The construction consists of an assortment of mundane grocery products – tortilla chips, pancake syrup, ketchup, Hostess Twinkies – the production of which all relies heavily on corn. The artist's premise is that a corn based diet in animals encourages strains of "super" e-coli bacteria that may pose serious threats to human health and safety.

The organization has sponsored numerous cultural events in and around the village – a "Popcorn & Puppet Festival" featuring renowned puppeteers from all over the tri-state area, a "Take Me To the River Music Festival" which features feature international, regional and locally renowned bands and covers folk, rock, jazz, blues, world & alternative sounds and a "Take me to the River Children's Community Chorus."

Present at the opening of "Brave New Worlds" was Hastings Mayor Peter Swiderski who couldn't quite contain his enthusiasm for 12 Milesnorth and the cultural buzz they've created in the village. According to the Mayor, these events represent the best of Hastings and added that "Liz Liebeskind is 'a force' in this community. Her exhibits and events always engage the mind and spirit. Although these types of events are not sponsored by the village, we wholeheartedly endorse the cultural exchange they foster."

The 2400 square foot exhibit space on Main Street, made available to the organization by an agreement with Urban Green Council, is a multi purpose space that has been used for poetry readings, art installations, theatre, dance, classes in film animation and yes, even a haunted house.
Hurry, "Brave New Worlds: Ritalin, Robots and Revolution" runs only from December 6th – 12th  5:00 – 8:00 pm.

Upcoming shows include:

December 9:

12 Milesnorth Welcomes Istanbul Artists Idil & Yigit!

Take Me To The River Children's Community Chorus Director Matt Turk has initiated an art exchange between New York & Istanbul bringing together the Woody Guthrie/Pete Seeger River with artists Idil & Yigit to paint a sail and sing some songs.

Visit 12Milesnorth on the web: http://12milesnorth.org/
45 Main Street
Hastings-on-Hudson, NY 10706