Political Intimacy

Curated by Amy Khoshbin, Fine Arts Civic Engagement Fellow, with Brooklyn Engaged: Alexis Laneuville, Erin Benard, Malena Ramsey, Taylor Dean, Zichen “Oliver” Yuan

A collaboration with Recess: Assembly artists and peer leaders Saint Forza, Tyra Gibbs, Princess Kelly, Geremia Romain and Darrell Santana.

Political Intimacy demystifies and humanizes the process of running for local office through a series of video interviews between local political candidates and representatives, Recess: Assembly participants, and Pratt Institute students. Recess: Assembly is an artist-led alternative to incarceration program offering long-term, paid training, and pathways to creative employment for court-involved youth. 

An aligned exhibition at Pratt Manhattan Gallery showcases the final interview video, a seed paper printmaking project, and a series of contemporary artists all addressing issues at the citywide level that were determined to be the most pressing by participants of the project. The handmade seed paper print project was co-created by Recess: Assembly participants and Pratt students, aiming to engage the public while empowering and inspiring youth to push for radical change in our electoral system from the ground up. These prints will be planted at the end of the exhibition, giving back to our community in the form of flowers, fruits, and vegetables.

The opening digital launch event on April 29, 2021 featured a dialogue, screening, and exhibition walkthrough with Pratt Fine Arts Civic Engagement Fellow Amy Khoshbin with Pratt’s Social Practice student group Brooklyn Engaged, Recess: Assembly artists and peer leaders with Recess Co-Director Shaun Leonardo, and Senator Jabari Brisport.