Localizing
Mapping the Relationship of Income
and Art in New York's Boroughs
and Art in New York's Boroughs
Considering the locations of New York City’s art through the juxtaposition of median income data and museum/art gallery sites reveals that art culture is restricted to the wealthiest borough of Manhattan. Localizing art in wealthy areas limits the accessibility of inspiring works to tourists and art collectors creating an arts 'scene' that struggles to depict the very place in which it resides. No Longer Empty (NLE), a non-profit arts organization is attempting to expand the accessibility of art to Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island by occupying vacant properties with curated art experiences that "are free and accessible to everyone. At the heart of [their] model is community engagement."
The map above utilizes dot density to show median income and light gray text to locate museums/art galleries which emphasize the empty corners of New York's boroughs. No Longer Empty lands spatially as shown in red occupying neighborhoods across multiple neighborhoods. Due to the fact that the organization was created 2009 during an economic downturn, the black lines vertically represent the stock market values on any day that a NLE event/exhibition took place as the red lines symbolize the duration of events (dashed) and exhibitions (solid). Running behind this information is a list of all of the art galleries and museums in New York followed by the names of NLE artists as the basis for all of the work done to make this thriving organization possible.