Two photos side by side. Left: A nighttime NYC street corner with a street light. On the streetlight a purple light shines on the sidewalk. Right: A daytime image of a purple streetlight with a dark skinned woman holding it, looking up with a smile.
As is common in the aftermath of a shooting, a candle memorial shortly follows the incident. However, after the initial wave of mourning, they are often removed, almost as quickly as they arrived. Community members, however, may still have negative perceptions, and residual trauma associated with these areas, leaving these public spaces feeling unsafe and stigmatized. Residents and community leaders are becoming increasingly interested in strategies to respond more creatively to these sites of profound loss.
Beyond Memorial is an art, spatial, and healing justice response to these invisible, yet palpable scars that remain in public spaces after violence and loss. The goal of Beyond Memorial's approach is to equip community groups, residents, healers, and artists with spatial exercises and tools to re-imagine healing and its connection to physical space embracing the range of experiences and pathways from trauma to celebration.
This workshop, taking place on June 11th at 2pm, will introduce Beyond Memorial's origin, past and current projects, and its cyclical framework. Participants will also create their own “sacred tool”, a kaleido-cycle, that highlights this process based on remembrance, re-imagination, and resistance.
A black and white photo of a dark-skinned man with short dreadlocks and a mustache, and wearing round glasses, and a light turtleneck, looking down and to the left
Immanuel Oni is a first-generation Nigerian-American artist and spatial designer living in New York City originally from Houston, TX. He believes art is not about what he is making, but who he is making it for. His work explores loss and its deep connection with space. His canvas consists of repurposing existing public space elements, such as light posts or under-utilized space, to prompt dialogue about ritual, healing, and connection. His aim is to collectively reimagine sites of loss into sacred space, aiming to fuse practical design elements with the spiritual. He has led and participated in international art and urbanism workshops in Venice, Hong Kong, and Lagos. He has received awards from the Design Trust for Public Space, Culture Push, the New York for Culture and Arts, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, More Art Engaging Artist Commission, AIA Brunner Award, Naturally Occurring Cultural Districts NY, Governors Island Blockhouse Residency, Architectural League of New York, and the New York State Council of the Arts. He received his Masters in Architecture from Parsons the New School and a dual Bachelors in Biology and Psychology from the University of Houston. He is a former Director of Community Design at New York City’s Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice and Adjunct Professor at Parsons the New School for Design. He is the Co-founder and Creative Director of Liminal, a non-profit that works at the intersection of art, unity, and space.