Manuel Molina Martagon: EL RECREO
May 3 – June 2, 2018
Due to the process-based nature of the Session program, EL RECREO will undergo constant modifications; the features of this page provide accruing information on the project’s developments.
Events
All events are free and open to the public. Events are subject to change.
Ongoing: Special Menu: An Exhibition and Screening of Artworks from Restaurant Workers
EL RECREO Open House with Open Engagement: May 11, 12-6pm
Middling Reception: May 17, 6-8pm
Financial Education Workshop with Qualitas for Life Foundation: May 19, 12:30-2pm, RSVP Required
Postshift Release: Bodycare and Awareness for working in the Kitchen Workshop by Aranxta Araujo: May 19, 2-4:30pm, RSVP Required
Restaurant Topics: Talks with Restaurant Opportunities Center: May 22, 29, Time TBD
Restaurant Nightmares Night: May 24, 6-8pm
Champions League Final Saturday: May 26, 2-6pm
Closing Party: June 2, 12-6pm
EL RECREO
On May 3, Manuel Molina Martagon will begin EL RECREO, a project that will turn Recess into a home base for restaurant workers, with diverse programming ranging from meals and entertainment to conversations and workshops addressing current issues faced by the food service community. Throughout the project, a rotating menu of comfort food made by the artist will be served free to any visitor who works in a restaurant.
Molina Martagon’s interest in the food industry workforce stems from the connection between his hometown, Puebla, and his current place of residence in New York City. New York City hosts the largest Poblano population of any location in the world. The City’s restaurant industry depends heavily on the labor of people from Puebla. Since the 80s, Poblano immigrants have made New York their destination, mastering preparation and presentation of international cuisines using the foundations of culinary tradition and sensibility from Mexico. Despite the trendiness of culinary subject matter, most of this labor is overlooked.
EL RECREO strives to give some recognition to the expansive talents and stories behind the people working in the food industry through an open call art exhibition, screenings, collaborations and performances from food industry professionals. This project extends beyond the Mexican community, and acknowledges the rich international exchanges that happen in restaurants. Hospitality, food and physical presence will be the main vehicles for interaction in EL RECREO. The project will become a gathering space to consider the industry beyond the restaurant patron/server relationship and the closed doors of the kitchen. Ultimately, EL RECREO seeks to cultivate a position of empathy and respect toward restaurant labor.
Molina Martagon would like to extend a special thanks to EL RECREO project revitalizer, Eeva-Riitta Eerola, and special collaborator, Arantxa Araujo.
Additional thanks to: Gita Blak, Alison Burstein, Miguel Torres Jr. y Familia, Daniela Garza, Daniel Ortiz de Montellano, Fany Gerson, Gerardo Muñoz, Constantino Ramales, Catherine Barnett, Michael Kumazuki, Dan Sanford, Carlos Gutierrez, Susana Camarena, Nilbia Coyote, Jimena Monjaras,Habitantes de Tlaxco, Caitlin Steinke, Erika Harrsch, Ryan Ford, Chris Held, Kristin Black, Sarah Hymanson, Daniel Nates, Christine Mutzenbecher, Carlos Velázquez, Armando Sánchez Merchant, Rosy Viñas, Meredith Phillips Almeida, Chad Purkey, Jeniffer Stokes, Prerana Reddy, Alex Severin, Leticia Gutierrez, Sheetal Prajapati, Miriam Simun, Lily Thai,Caterina Toscano, María Fernanda de la Torre, Alexia Nuñez, Claudia Jasso, Sonya Guimon, Lizania Cruz, Marlène Ramirez-Cancio, Juan López, Alfonso Félix, Marco Castro, Natalia Fidelholtz, Sara Guerrero, Ruby Gomez, Maayan Strauss, and Recess staff
EL RECREO is supported by El Abuelito Inc., The Mexican Cultural Institute of New York Departamento de Asuntos Comunitarios, Qualitas of Life Foundation, and Restaurant Opportunities Center of New York.
Open to the public Tuesday-Saturday, 12-6pm; Thursday, 2-8pm
About the Artist
Manuel Molina Martagon is a multidisciplinary artist working in performance, video and social engaged projects. Molina Martagon holds a MFA in Photography, Video and Related Media from the School of Visual Arts in New York, and a MFA in Creative Writing in Spanish from New York University. His work has been exhibited in Mexico, United States, Spain and Cuba. His videos have been featured in festivals like Proyector Madrid, Region 0 The Latino VideoArt Festival, YANS & RETO, and Festival de Video Arte de Camaguey, and institutions such as the Institute of Contemporary Art in Philadelphia and Art Museum of the Americas in DC. Molina Martagon has also been a recipient of multiple international awards and grants, such as Fulbright-García Robles, CONACYT (Consejo Nacional Ciencia y Tecnología), Alice Beck Odette Grant, and PECDAP (Programa de Estímulo a la Creación y Desarrollo Artístico de Puebla). Since his arrival to New York, he has been a constant collaborator with the New New Yorkers program at the Queens Museum.
This program is supported, in part, by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature. This project is also supported in part by an award from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. In-kind support is provided by Materials for the Arts.
