“Exhibition Honors Queens: A Tribute to ‘The World’s Borough'”

**The “World’s Borough Exhibition” at Flushing Town Hall: A Celebration of Queens’ Vibrant Artistic Community**

For residents of Queens, New York’s largest and most diverse borough, encapsulating its essence can be a challenge. But one thing is for sure: Queens thrives on its multiculturalism, its storied history, and its artistic vibrancy.

The ongoing *World’s Borough Exhibition* at Flushing Town Hall (FTH), which began on November 7 and runs through November 25, serves as a profound reflection of what makes Queens so unique. It celebrates the borough’s rich character by presenting the works of over 70 New York City-based artists, most of whom call Queens home. This monumental display spans the essence of Queens, encapsulating everything from quirky felt sculptures and headstone rubbings to intricately painted reinterpretations of cultural icons like the Unisphere.

### Curating the Essence of Queens

Curated by Stephanie Lee, a long-time Queens resident and FTH teaching artist, the exhibition marks an exciting culmination of the organization’s first open call for artists in five years. The goal? Quite simply, to create a space where Queens’ diverse stories could interact, overlap, and ultimately complement one another.

Dan Bamba, FTH’s director of Arts Services, explained that the show is intentionally broad in theme to foster a sense of community. “We tried to do as broad a topic and theme as possible so we can connect with as many people as we could,” Bamba said, emphasizing the exhibition’s cornerstone goal of embracing inclusivity in the arts. The primary guideline for submitted works was a deep connection to Queens—whether in subject matter, symbolism, or the artist’s own relationship to the borough.

### A Microcosm of Global Influences

Queens is known as the “World’s Borough” for a reason. The borough houses people from over 120 nations, with over 130 languages spoken across its neighborhoods. Fittingly, the exhibition features works that draw from an array of cultures, experiences, and traditions. Some of the notable pieces on display include:

– **Julia Shaw’s Family Collage**: A mixed-media creation that traces 50 years of family history steeped in Queens Village, directly reflecting the personal histories that thousands of local residents continue to nurture.

– **John Dingley’s Acrylic Painting**: A playful rodent-themed remix of the *Star Wars: Episode IV* movie poster under the savvy title “*Episode IV – A Queens Hope*,” it captures the hilariously vibrant spirit of the borough—complete with pizza slices.

– **Stephanie Lee’s Work**: Known for mixing historical Korean influences with modern depictions, Lee presents a still-life piece, “*Modern Wish*,” rooted in the *chaekgeori* style that flourished during Korea’s Joseon dynasty. The work depicts modern luxury (designer bags, golf clubs) juxtaposed within traditional themes, highlighting how past and present intertwine in immigrant lives.

### Art Shaped by Local Influence

The range of works displayed at the Flushing Town Hall exhibition not only reflects global diversity but also hyperlocal realities. Long-standing Queens landmarks and communal living offer inspiration to many of the artists.

– **Amy Supton’s Clay and Fiber Creations**: Her *Blue Iris* sculpture, inspired by the neighboring Queens Botanical Gardens, fuses natural beauty with a tactile medium—a celebration of the green spaces that dot the borough.

– **SouthEast Queens Artists Alliance’s Zine Display**: An eclectic collection of multilingual and visual zines being showcased in the exhibition embodies the grassroots intellectualism and community-led artistic endeavors that define much of Queens’ local art ecosystem.

Another compelling work is Bill Brand’s ink and watercolor rendering of a hosta plant found in his Jackson Heights backyard, showing how the borough’s famously diverse gardens and even small domestic spaces offer endless inspiration for creation.

### Queens as the Quintessential Urban Landscape

If diversity is the most singular defining aspect of Queens, the borough’s famous *7 train* might be a close second. Often referred to as the “International Express,” the 7 train weaves through a tapestry of neighborhoods as it connects Manhattan to Flushing, passing through Sunnyside, Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, and Corona. This mode of transport has become a symbol of hope, struggle, and discovery for many Queens residents.

– **Gregory Valentine’s Gremlin on the 7 Train**: Valentine’s masking tape sculpture of a gremlin is whimsically perched on the back of a 7 train painting, echoing the borough’s rich, chaotic, and unexpected energy.

Arts in Queens borrow from both the past and the future. Bamba noted that while the borough has changed immensely, many perceive it as a beautiful evolution rather than loss. This duality is captured in the breadth and depth of the works on display.

### Flushing Town Hall: An Artistic Beacon

Well-anchored in