Tracing the Bullet

Cocoon The Bronx: Tracing the Bullet 2016-2018 by Kate Browne

The Bronx Cocoon was unveiled and illuminated on the evening of May 19, 2018. Noriko Sugiura shot and edited this 2-minute video of the performance.

See portraits and photographs from the Bronx Cocoon by Eric Etheridge.

Thank you most of all the 200 local people who were shared their stories for the project and whose voices were heard in the Cocoon.

CREDITS

Artist: Kate Browne

Photographer: Eric Etheridge

Production Lighting Design: Alison Brummer

Production Manager: Martial Buisson

Production Coordinator: Phoebe Antoniw

Supporters: bykatebrowne, Inc., S.O.S. Save Our Streets, Bronx and Wave Hill

Field Organizers: Taj Collins, Jewels Marshall, Cynthia Marshall, Gabi Marshall and Kyasia Davis

Artist Assistants: Mirana Zuger and Ilana Markoff

Interpreter: Alejandro Salgado

Hosted by: Morrisania Air Rights (Pres. Chaney Yelverton), Andrew Jackson Houses (Pres. Danny Barber), and Melrose Houses (Pres. Jenny Cruz). Tenant Associations & M.A.R Community Room.

Local Participating Groups: Residents at Morrisania Air Rights Houses, Residents at Jackson Houses , Residents at Melrose Houses, Morris 1 Houses & Pres. Barbara Holmes, Inner City Gun Violence Prevention & Pastor Henry, EMS/EMT, Lincoln Hospital Trauma Unit, Dr. John Porter, Director and Trauma Surgeon, Trauma Center, Cooper University Hospital, Save Our Streets SOS South Bronx and Morrisania, PSA 7, Kathy Ortiz/School Principal, Hakeim Yahmadi, La Paz Funeral Home/Funeral Director & Mortician, BIO Team Blood Clean-up, PSS Senior Center at Jackson and MARs.

A Supposition of Humanity

Vive les black-blanc-beur! It was great to watch France win the World Cup today, I only wish I had been back in the Goutte d'Or to celebrate with everyone there. Several of France's great young players reflect the country's complicated colonial history that is embedded in that neighborhood, though perhaps none so much as Kylian Mbappé. With a father from Cameroon and a mother from Algeria, he is especially emblematic of the immigrant neighborhood and nearby suburbs (where he grew up), where a promising new France still struggles in a time of rampant anti-immigrant fervor.

I remember especially my interview with The Bachelor, as he calls himself, a sapeur who owns a men's store in the Goutte d'Or (aka Barbès or Chateau Rouge) where he sells the fashions of la sape. Of all the Parisians who participated in Cocoon, he may have explained the spirit and possibility of neighborhood most evocatively.    

"I’m one of the defenders of my culture [as a sapeur], my life is a witness to it. I’m a life history that speaks. But if I’m a part of my history at most, what do I matter? What’s the point of my life?

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"You have lived the culture you inherited from your parents. It’s the same for me. I’ve been in France for 36 years, but I’m from somewhere in a certain African country. If you’re in my store, the things are pretty much classic to have on the shelves, you see, but they wouldn’t have anything to do with what’s in other stores. It’s not provocation, but it’s a reflection. I’m always displaying my African culture for the world. You can dress yourself differently in order to express your culture and make yourself happy, by wearing something a bit crazy, but which isn’t that crazy at all.

"When I see people, like you, who come and give us the chance to say what we have to say, in my opinion, you are my ally—since you let me express myself, convey something about what immigrants are doing in Paris. There are negative associations, you see, with people from elsewhere. 

"Today, I left my store and I came here because, in your own way, you are participating in a certain cultural exchange, a supposition of humanity. Because what’s humanity? you have people talk to each other—from several cultures in Paris. 

"Because Château Rouge has become a certain new France. It’s a certain Africa, a certain Asia, a certain Latin America. You see? This project is in the center of a certain dialogue. That’s what is so great. All stories are welcome. Without them, these different cultures are left behind."

UP NEXT MAY 19, 2018 COCOON THE BRONX

Taj and Me @ MARs Friday Fish Fry

Taj and me discussing interview techniques.

Delicious and I mean delicious Fried Fish & Fries at the Tenant's Community Room. Russell cooked up an amazing dinner with homemade mac&cheese and rice sides. And fresh fruit. 

We interviewed people about memories in the neighborhood.

Talking:

• about the importance of local people running their own community center 
• about how it use to be running basketball tournaments in the Jacksons all day long, all summer long : little kids, teens and adults. 
• about showing love and giving back to the community. 

Taj Collins has been working on Cocoon as a Field Organizer since Spring 2016. Like Jewels, he has now taken on the job of interviewing people along with me. So much fun and such good interviews. 

Another great day at MARs. 

Thanks Ilana for the photos.

Memories @ MARs Family Day

Jewels Marshall (Cocoon Field Organizer since Spring 2016) recording memories at Morrisania Air Rights Family Day. The group is standing in front of the map of the neighborhood that we all created this winter in the MARs community space - (thanks especially to artist Alejo Salgado for drawing the map). 

Some of Eric Etheridge's portraits of local people are along the side of the map.

I love this photo of Chaney Yelverton (Morrisania Air Rights tenant association president) and his daughter with Council Woman Vanessa Gibson.

Great Day in the neighborhood.