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Taxilandia NYC

Taxilandia, created by Modesto Flako Jimenez, immerses its audience in the flavors, sounds, sights, and dynamic history of Bushwick confronting social stigmas and the realities of gentrification. Weaving a dramatic, performative ‘tapestry’ that interconnects generations, social classes, races, and cultures, Taxilandia complicates our notion of what it means to be a local, an immigrant, or a resident of a place, challenging us to answer: “What is my personal roadmap of home?”

New York City Team

Modesto Flako Jimenez - Creator, Writer, and Performer

Ben Gassman - Queens Salon

Marisa Tornello - Staten Island Salon

Anastasia Beliakova - ¡Oye Group! Development Director

Aniya Picou - ¡Oye Group! Programs Associate

Merlixse Ventura - Manhattan Salon

Kevin Torres - ¡Oye Group! Managing & Technical Director

Borna Barzin - ¡Oye Group! Marketing Associate

Andrew Kircher - Consulting Creative Producer

Sandie Luna - Bronx Salon

Adriana Ascencio - ¡Oye Group! General Manager

Reuven Glezer - Taxilandia Social Media Manager

Kendall Allen -Production Manager

Sandra Garner, Lingua Franca Arts - Producer

Phase 1: 4 Virtual Salon Conversations
With Guest Artists

We design and co-host a series of virtual salons, each with local artists whose work intersects with gentrification. Streamed live, these salons include a Taxilandia documentary on Bushwick, and an interactive portion where the artists and audience are invited to get out and capture five traces of gentrification with their cameras

Phase 2: Community Activation

“The Art of Words” is a coloring book distributed throughout our community we created with artists all over NYC to have them show us their unique vision of the city we all know and love.

A mural was designed and created for the New York Experience.

Phase 3: Five Gallery Installations

The virtual salons result in one or more creative collaborations. We work with our local artist partners to create a distributed storefront gallery (in partnership with local businesses).

25 Poems for Bushwick

Original poetry inspired by the local businesses and landmarks that make up the ever-changing neighborhood of Bushwick.

From the 2021 Opening to 2024, Taxilandia has had:

Our Impact

1350 Passengers

450 Car rides

50 Collaborators

$14,700 in Revenue for the Community