Project by Ashley Broyles
Welcome to the Sensorium Carnevale, where throughout this experience, guests can embody the visible and invisible pollutants of Newtown Creek. What does it mean to live in an apocalyptic environment that has been deemed as one of the most polluted areas in New York City, and how does the designation of the creek as an EPA Superfund Site change how the space is being interacted with? Taking place at the Newtown Creek Nature Walk, guests of the Carnevale will experience what it is like to take an active role in a toxic environment through the five senses:
SMELL: Guests must don Hazmat Suit “costumes” infused with lemon scents reminiscent of cleaning products to safely enjoy the full Sensorium experience.
SOUND: Existing soundscapes of the Creek such as the active steel recycling plant across the bank can be heard during the duration of the event, coupled with speakers broadcasting oral histories of native Lenape communities.
SIGHT: Compacted trash blocks will be utilized to extend the nature walk farther into the creek and accommodate for the increased foot traffic. In addition, bioremediation efforts from pavilions turn into rehabilitation structures for filter feeding mussels when the festival is not occurring, which will decrease toxic chemicals in the water over time.
TOUCH: Guests may submerge themselves into the polluted creek water by relaxing on floats made from oil sorbent materials with a perimeter containment boom where guests can “embody” the experience of petroleum in an oil spill.
TASTE: Coasting along the river on a sightseeing cruise to observe factories that are still contributing to the pollution today; stops will be made at community initiatives for gardens and greenspaces, where guests can try produce grown from contaminated soils.
