West Harlem Art Fund Works With The Affordable Art Fair

The West Harlem Art Fund (WHAF) has been selected to create a site specific installation for the Affordable Art Fair this fall at the Tunnel. WHAF will present Brooklyn based artist Iliana Emilia Garcia to create the installation “Story Piles”. According to Executive Director & Chief Curator Savona Bailey-McClain, “We are thrilled to be working with the Affordable Art Fair. Last year we were blessed to create an installation at Times Square and a summer long exhibition on Governor’s Island”. Story Piles is a sculpture built up using antique wooden chairs and life stories. The chairs are built up upon themselves and are intertwined. At the top of the pile, the chairs disperse, and a few are suspended from the ceiling. Each of the chairs represent one person’s life story. The stories are super imposed into the chairs, and people viewing the piece can choose to put their own stories onto the piece as well. Story Piles will be on view from October 4th through the 7th at the Tunnel located at 269 11th Avenue. Iliana Emila Garcia was born and raised in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Her love of the arts blossomed at an early age. Garcia’s formal schooling started at Altos de Chavon, and institution affiliated with Parsons School of Design, where she studied graphic design. Awarded the Ruth Vanderpool Scholarship, she then moved to New York City to continue her studies at Parsons. She graduated from Parsons in 1991 with a BFA in communication design. Her works has been exhibited throughout the United States and abroad, including the permanent collection of El Museo del Barrio in NYC. Currently she lives and works in Brooklyn with her husband and daughter. The West Harlem Art Fund, Inc. is a fourteen year old, public arts organization. WHAF offers exhibition opportunities for artists and creative professionals wishing to share their talent with residents uptown and around the city.

The West Harlem Art Fund, Inc. showcases art and culture in open, public spaces to add aesthetic interest to our part of the city; promote historical and cultural heritage; and support community involvement in local development. Our organizational symbol is the double crocodile from West Africa. Funtunmmireku-Denkyemmirreku means unity in diversity.

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