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.