The East Village is a lively and trendy part of New York known for its historic bars, performance venues, restaurants, and boutiques. Normally bustling with excitement and nightlife, the COVID-19 pandemic caused strict regulations on the number of people who could gather indoors. As a result, once common indoor activities were forced onto the streets, and many storefronts had to close.

With streetlife taking on a new significance, the Flint Collective NYC, a cross-disciplinary group of designers transforming the quality and experience of public space in NYC, teamed up with The Designers Lighting Forum of New York to create OPEN. Seeking to reimagine vacant indoor spaces, the Flint Collective NYC designed temporary light art installations occupying a selection of East Village storefronts, producing remarkable destination sights from seemingly ordinary canvases. Participants were encouraged to explore the East Village, looking with opened eyes at the reconceived spaces to understand how light can be used to create art. The event was an invitation to move and discover in one’s own time, order, and space. The temporary light art installations were live from September 12-20, 2020, and were hidden through eight different sites. 

Being in New York throughout the unraveling conditions of the pandemic, compelled us to do something for the community and city we love. People had been starved of cultural stimulation, social interaction and freedom to move with ease and comfort for so long, there was real impetus to create a new experience of public space; to curate a new ‘common ground’. We decided to use the transformative nature of light to enliven the neighborhood’s sense of a time and space beyond the current predicament. We invited people to imagine these newly vacant, or open, spaces less as endings and more as openings to future potential: to ask ‘What could be here next?’

Our deepest thanks to the DLFNY for believing in our intent. We set out with a desire to contribute to the general community, and with the generosity and spirit of the lighting community found an even stronger infrastructure of similarly-minded creatives, manufacturers, businesses, landlords, community groups and residents who brought color, light and renewed life to these streets. It was a moving experience to be part of.

Leela Shanker, Founder, Flint Collective

Working with an incredibly vigorous and passionate team, the project was a huge success. The DLFNY applauds the Flint Collective NYC’s creativity and grit to accomplish such a masterpiece of an event. Being the well-timed program that it was, OPEN gave participants, who came from far and wide, the opportunity to explore the city in a completely unprecedented time while still witnessing the beauty, comradery, and art of light for which the city is known. We are so honored to have had the privilege to participate in such an event. 

OPEN could not have happened without the support of the many people, local businesses, representatives, and manufacturers who generously donated their space, time, expertise, and efforts. We’d like to take a moment to recognize everyone who participated: 

The Production Team:
Ana Lucia Ahuamada
Bill Kennedy
Billy Wong
Brian Bulaya
Carl Everett
Christina Wang
David Zhuitlin
Elaine Cook
Emmanuel Oni
Francis Grunfeld
Jennifer June
JP Bedell
Kia Rogers
Leela Shanker
Marco Lafiandro
Marta Casarin
Matteo Seconi
Nikki Puyat
Robert Van Antwerp
Sam Kallman
Sam Powers
Shashank Tingal
Tavish Miller

The Local Business Owners:
Ravi DeRossi and Drew Brady of DeRossi Global
Jessica Kaufman of the Corcoran Group NYC
Yasmina Palumbo and James Armata of MUD
Sasha Baumrid of Baumrind & Baumrind Management
Larae Kangas at Duo Boutique
Harvey Epstein, New York State Assembly

The Manufacturers and Representatives:
Dian Kitchen – esp. Jesse and Ernie
Electrix, LLC
Enterprise Lighting Sales – esp. Jason Leeds
Erco Lighting, Inc. – esp. Adreinne Shulman
iGuzzini North America – esp. Daniele Caputa
Insight Lighting – esp. Wayne Chaikin
Lighting Services Inc. (LSI)
Loose Parts – esp. Jennifer June
Lumenpulse – esp. Tom Santostefano
Luminii – esp. Ryan Raica Scallan and Shelley Haniff
Moxie Lighting – esp. Elaine Cook and Matteo Seconi
O’Blaney Rinker Associates
Savory – esp. Justin Jenkins
Specification Lighting Sales – esp. Kacie Stigliano
Stan Deutsch Associates – esp. JP Bedell, Olena Zavragina, and Devon Galloway
We-ef – esp. Sam Davey and Kevin Rose

Partner Lighting Designers:
Sense Lighting Design – esp. Carl Everett
zeroLUX lighting design – esp. Lana Lenar

Flint Collective NYC – OPEN Website References:
Website: https://flintcollective.nyc/
Concept: https://flintcollective.nyc/open-concept
Production team: https://flintcollective.nyc/open-production-team
Supporters: https://flintcollective.nyc/open-thank-you