ARTIST TALKS
2016 Artist Talk, "MoMA Prime Time Exchange" How can we bring different generation together? Co-produced by MoMA (The Museum of Modern Art) at The Museum of Modern Art
2016 Artist Talk, "Art + Inter-generational Exchange", co-produced by More Art and Artist Volunteer Center and a part of the ArtsEverywhere/Musagetes Artist Round Table series, moderated by Queens Museum Staff. At Queens Museum
2010 Guest Panelist, "Brainstorm! Selling Work Online", A presentation of the Asian American Arts Alliance, co-produced by the Queens Council on the Arts and New York Foundation for the Arts. At New York Foundation for the Arts
HIDEMI TAKAGI
Herkimer street stoop interviews
Herkimer Street Stoop Interview is an ongoing community art project with long-term Bed-Stuy residents. I set up the camera and the recorder on my stoop and others’, taking portraits and doing interviews with community members. I record videos or audio while they talk about their lives and connections to this neighborhood.
My family has been living in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn for over 10 years. Herkimer Street Stoop Interviews is a tribute to the neighborhood, and yet another opportunity to get to know our neighbors and their histories better.
As an artist, I have been working on social-engagement projects since 2015, but once Covid-19 hit, I stopped working on those projects. During the summer of 2020, I got an idea for Herkimer Street Stoop Interview; I set up the camera and a microphone on my stoop and interviewed members of Bed-Stuy with social distance and in an outdoor setting. I invited a couple of residents who have been living in this neighborhood for many years; after being stuck at home for a couple of months, they were happy to be a part of the project. After being stuck at home, I was grateful to engage. The project started from Herkimer Street’s stoop where I live and started expanding to other areas of Bed-Stuy.
I want to create something with meaningfulness for Bed-Stuy people who would be moved. I feel grateful to each person who has shared stories. I also think it is very important to pass down their oral histories to the next generations.