Sharks on the streets of Red Hook? No, this isn’t the filming of the next “Sharknado.”
An art installation on the sidewalk outside the Red Hook Library on Wolcott Street brought the underwater world above ground Thursday evening.
Titled “WATERSHED,” Brooklyn-based artist Anita Glesta transformed the sidewalk into a virtual seascape using a digital projection. As people walked by, they were suddenly “swimming” with different types of fish, sharks and other sea creatures.
The project, organized by ArtW Global and timed to the fifth anniversary of superstorm Sandy, aimed to draw passers-by into a dialogue about climate change and the realities of living along the waterfront.
Superstorm Sandy created a massive storm tide in Red Hook that was measured at about 11.2 feet high. The neighborhood was inundated with about 4 feet of water, according to recordings by the National Ocean Service.
“Red Hook has felt the devastation of superstorm Sandy, and the succession of hurricanes across the Caribbean and the southeast United States reminds us that the ‘new normal’ is the unprecedented destruction wrought by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria,” said Glesta, a third-generation Brooklynite. “My goal in creating ‘WATERSHED’ is to create a conversation that inspires action to help mitigate the effects of future storms in affected communities like Red Hook.”
A slew of officials, including Borough President Eric Adams, spoke about climate change inside the library when the projection began around 6 p.m. The sidewalk was expected to be lit up through 9:30 p.m.
“WATERSHED” was presented in partnership with The Fifth Avenue Committee’s “Turning the Tide Environmental Justice Initiative,” a community-based collaboration on climate change that includes Red Hook and Gowanus residents who live in NYCHA housing.
On Saturday a roundtable discussion on climate change will be held at the library from 1:30-4:30 p.m., and an art exhibit expanding on the “WATERSHED” project will take place at ROODGALLERY, located at 373 Van Brunt St., from 5 to 7 p.m.
All of the events are free and open to the public. The exhibit will be on view at the library through Nov. 4.
