ArtCrawl Harlem, a non-profit arts education organization, continues its mission of elevating Harlem on the metropolitan cultural map with its 2024 program Boundaries & Connections. Curated by Ulysses Williams, this program provides a platform for artists to explore the theme Games People Play, blending contemporary art with the historical legacy of Harlem. One of the highlights of this year’s program is Graciela Cassel’s installation, Dreaming Water (2022), which is located at 403 Colonels Road and will be on display until September 29, 2024.
Governors Island, with its blend of nature and art, is the perfect setting for Graciela Cassel’s Dreaming Water (2022). The raft installation, constructed from steel, styrofoam floaters, LED lights, resin, a boat seat, a lifeboat ring, and oars, surprises viewers as they sit on the raft and interact with the piece. They can physically row while being enveloped by immersive projections of the East River and Hudson River. This interactive experience transforms the space into a vessel of imagination, allowing viewers to envision themselves navigating waterways to destinations of their choosing. Cassel’s work invites active participation, making art both accessible and transformative, encouraging viewers to journey beyond the physical space into the realm of dreams and imagination. In this work, Cassel’s explores water’s significance in human history and culture. She views water as a source of pleasure and connectivity, a force that has historically linked civilizations through trade and cultural exchange. Her work is a call to appreciate and protect this vital resource, reminding viewers of the profound connections that water facilitates.
The raft installation was first showcased in 2022 at the Lilac Museum Ship, curated by Melinda Wang, paying homage to the essential role such a vessel plays in survival and exploration. Inspired by historical journeys like Norwegian Thor Heyerdahl’s 1947 Kon-Tiki expedition, Cassel’s work resonated with the timeless human connection to water and the deep-seated desire to traverse it, both physically and metaphorically.
As part of her participation in ArtCrawl, Cassel presents Kaleidoscope (2024), an outdoor installation that has been enchanting viewers since April 2024. Positioned amid trees and open sky, this outdoor work invites children and adults to escape the urban hustle and reconnect with nature through a unique optical experience. The structure itself is an octagonal assembly of 56 mirrors, encased in a vibrant orange cylindrical frame and perched atop a sturdy square steel pedestal. Reminiscent of a blossoming flower, Kaleidoscope (2024) engages audiences in a playful and immersive journey, where peering inside reveals a mesmerizing dance of reflections, distortions, and repetitions. This dynamic display uncovers details of the surrounding landscape that might otherwise go unnoticed, offering a fresh and profound perspective on the natural world. Cassel’s work transcends the traditional kaleidoscope, offering an open-ended interaction where viewers can move around and focus on specific details, allowing for a personal dialogue with the piece.
Through Dreaming Water (2022) and Kaleidoscope (2024), Graciela Cassel invites viewers to engage with art in ways that are both introspective and communal. Her installations at ArtCrawl Harlem are journeys that encourage participation, reflection, and a deeper connection with both the natural world and the communities we inhabit.
