IN THIS ISSUE:

Directed by: Elizabeth Torres.

Interviews & articles by: Elizabeth Torres, David Vanegas.

Web design & concept: Elizabeth Torres.

Featured artist: Grimanesa Amoros.

Participating artists: Prince Valium, Melanie Knight, Joaquin "Iggy" Nuñez, Kimi Hansen, Julian Z. Zee, Fundacion Arcco, Melina Sojo, Emily Young, Dorothy Velum, Luis Miranda, Gabriel Jaime Caro: Gajaka, Nicole Delgado, Jaider E. Torres, Grimanesa Amoros.

All disciplines, projects and images are honored, submissions are welcome. We reserve the right to post content based on quality, format, clarity and space available. Send your collaborations to us. We'll get back to you. that's for sure.

SPECIAL THANKS TO: The Lab Gallery. Red Door NY - Supporters & Friends. Each and everyone of the artists who participated in this issue... and of course, our readers!

 

WHY WE ARE HERE:

The initiative was created as an independent door to connect the community and to serve as a space for free expression in any field. To allow each and everyone of you to become the protagonists and the creators of opportunities, threading waters between New York and the world, in a timeless manner. Our goal? Rebuilding present. Leaving a footprint in the city and causing reactions. Wake up. It is time to exist.

Reaffirm your origins, be proud of your culture, of your talent, of your fears, doubts, and emotions. Share them. Urban intervention, poetry in everything we see and do, no dress code. The proposal of RDNY has been created as an approach of interaction. Information and rebirth through culture and technology, in each page, in each segment. Take this space as an invitation to step out of the box, break the format and the royal run around, and take some action. Show us what you're made of, how your life is changing others, give everyone a chance to come in and be a part of your projects, your dreams, your story. The time has come to quit complaining about the big charade of past-due concepts, useless policies, traditions, formality, square fairy-tales. Throw them out the window and walk inside the red door. Undress code exposed.

Give us raw, fresh, clean, simple truth. Question identity. Intrepid Self Expression. Reinvention. Rebellion. Recklessness. Conscience. Visual Eloquence. (and all that good stuff). All we ask for is to finally see art frolicking with reality. We exist.

 

Elizabeth Torres.

HOW ABOUT A LITTLE Q & A?

 

Q/HOW WAS THE IDEA BORN?

 

Elizabeth: A year and something ago I decided I needed to reorganize my priorities. The whole mid-life crisis of your 20s. Who am I, what am I fighting for? After a long inner search I decided to pack my things and move to NY. I was fortunate to land, by luck, in Long Island City, an area well known because of its history and its artistic movements. There's an artist in every rooftop, there's galleries, studios, collectives, and everything you could ever dream of if you're an artist or involved with art in one way or another. My dream, I had decided, was to open up spaces where artists would be able to speak up, to express their artistic doubts and ideas openly, to get exposure and interact with one another...and for artists in other countries to be seen here in NY. As life would have it, through a very long and exhausting process, I was able to bring 100 paintings from other countries to the US, to a hotel that allowed me to turn its hallways into a gallery.

The flyers were ready, the facebook invitations, the paintings on the wall, the whole event was ready. As an additional surprise and to celebrate summer and finally being able to open the gallery, the CD release and live show by a local NY band was scheduled for the same evening. What better way to unite all arts and all crowds for this amazing project? Well, the word spread...But pay attention to this. It's summer and in the art world (and in this century), there's this little rebellion for rules which I admire and also despise sometimes. It was a concert and an opening at a rooftop, and the weather was amazing, so people showed up very comfortable, relaxing clothes.. Vnecks, u know, NYC gallery watching-rooftop partying-concert going kind of thing. So they weren't allowed to come in. Imagine me standing at the rooftop watching reporters, buyers, artists, and friends in general, be rejected downstairs in the most aggressive way because they weren't good enough for the hotel. It was excesive. I truly tried my best to change this but I better not get into details... I understand formalities, I understand the need of some to have a specific appearance, but I also understand flexibility, knowing when to go with the flow, accept diversity, and embrace those who have come to YOU, to celebrate YOU.

Fortunately, and as magic would have it, The Texas Firehouse opened up their doors to us, and the CD release was held there, improvised, and everyone was welcome. As I informed the people who were waiting for us upstairs that the event was taking place someplace else, I had the chance of seeing waves of people leave the hotel, walk several blocks, and with patience and understanding, follow us to our new destination. The paintings were only seen by a few people, which to me has been heart-breaking, but my greatest joy was to be able to save part of this and continuing with the show. This is not a question of hating formalities and rules or criticizing or judging. We're greater than that. It is a question of understanding how magnificent and powerful each one of you is, and how, in the end, we were victorious, and able of having an excellent celebration with those who love us. Although the dream of the gallery was damaged, my quest to find spaces for artists had to go on. The whole experience was a renewal of the reason why I do the things I do, organize events and always try to be involved with art. you guys are my purpose.

My desire to continue is stronger than ever, I feel humbled and extremely thankful for all the love I received last night. During the concert at the Texas Firehouse, I took off my preppy, shiny red heels and put on some comfortable sneakers. The gigantic shadows of the heels were projected in the background during the concert. Red Door NY is my fulfillment to that promise. (or, at least the first part of it). In homage to those red heels, and my immediate disgust towards square policies that inhibited art from being accessible to everyone. That's where the idea was born.

 

Q/AND WHAT ABOUT THE NAME?

Elizabeth: Inspiration comes in the most unexpected of ways. There's this fantastic building in LIC, called 5 pointz, which is filled with artists studios of all styles, ages, backgrounds, and views. A friend of mine invited me to an open house of the place, and I was marveled by the beauty of this building, inside and out. You see, outside, it is covered by graffities everywhere, and inside, it is a temple to creation, to expression, to inner-search. We spent hours walking from room to room, studio to studio, holding our wine in one hand, and flyers of fantastic local artists in the other one. However, there was ONE door, that we weren't able to open. It was Red. It had an horus eye on top, and it was locked.

Obviously it had to be some sort of studio, but the magic of the door in itself, compared to all the other white doors, just froze us. We stared at it. We tried to peek, to see underneath, to find any signs of what was on the other side. We never found out. I haven't returned to see whose studio it is, and to tell you the truth, it is not important anymore. The possibility of a door hiding an entire universe, remained in my mind for days and days, and I kept it as a sketch hidden in my desk, not knowing what to do with it.... until the magazine was born.

 

THE EYE OF HORUS:

The Eye of Horus (Wedjat)[1] (previously Wadjet and the Eye of the Moon; and afterwards as The Eye of Ra)[2] or ("Udjat")[3] is an ancient Egyptian symbol of protection and royal power from deities, in this case from Horus or Ra. The symbol is seen on images of Horus' mother, Isis, and on other deities associated with her.

ABOUT RED DOORS, ACCORDING TO FENG SHUI TRADITIONS:

Your front door is where you leave the outside world behind and enter your inner realm or world. It is, therefore, an important indicator of how you relate to the world as an individual. It gives a clear message to the outside world of who you are and what you stand for. Although in this eastern tradition, one of the practices is painting your door according to the position of your house to improve the flow of energy, Feng Shui practitioners solely advocate the 'red door feng shui' and generally recommend a red door regardless of the direction, because a red door is striking and promotes your fame and reputation.