Hidemi Takagi

Herkimer Street Stoop Interview
Artistic Discipline: Film/Video
Category: Brooklyn Arts Fund
Grant Year: 2021
Location: Bedford-Stuyvesant
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During Covid 19 Pandemic, in summer 2020, I set up the camera and a microphone on my stoop and interviewed the members of Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn where I live, with 6 feet distance at outdoors setting. I invited few residents who have been living in this neighborhood for many years; after being stuck in the home for a couple of months, they were happy to be a part of the project. I recorded videos while they were talking about their life and connection to this neighborhood. I am planning to continue this project in 2021. I will shoot videos and take portraits + audio. At the end, I would like to have the final exhibition of the project particularly in this neighborhood; Bedford Stuyvesant so participants can come to see the exhibition. I made a similar neighborhood community photography project "The Bed-Stuy Social 'Photo' Club" previously and had exhibitions in the neighborhood. Those subjects expressed the feeling that they felt like they were superstars at the exhibition openings. This would be another project that I can make them superstars again! My goal as an artist now is that I want to create something with a high value of meaningfulness for a handful of people who would be moved and feel grateful. I believe those final public exhibitions/presentations would make the subjects in the spotlight.