HISTORY
In 1626, a Norwegian ship builder by the name of Dirck Volckertsen, aka Dirck the Norseman, crossed the East River from Manhattan. He planted his roots as the first European settler in the lush meadows of what would become Greenpoint, Brooklyn, then home to the Lenape people. Almost 400 years later, another Norwegian ship builder (Sol Kjøk, founder of Mothership NYC, est. 2005) is hoping to help right some of the wrongs set in motion by her fellow countryman: How can we build a community that fosters equitable growth?
Herself a painter, Sol founded NOoSPHERE Arts in 2011 as a showcase for artist peers. When first launched in a storefront on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, NOoSPHERE Arts was a gallery with a special focus on bringing artists from Norway to NYC. Following our move to Brooklyn in 2016, NOoSPHERE Arts organically evolved into a passion-driven nonprofit run by an all-immigrant team uniting ten nationalities that span four continents. Our experimental arena on the bank of Newtown Creek in Greenpoint is now the only multidisciplinary arts center in a neighborhood full of creators of all stripes and origins eager to share their stories. We offer multiple points of entry through indoor/outdoor performances, salon conversations, exhibits, screenings, readings, festivals, and volunteer opportunities, and everyone is invited to come be pART !!!
Earth Acknowledgement
“A land acknowledgement means that we are acknowledging the people who originally lived here on this land. And of course, we want to do that. We don't want to forget the people who originally lived here where we are today. But I always say it goes a little further than that: It's not just land acknowledgement, it's Earth acknowledgement. One of the things that we forget about so often is to really think about and acknowledge the Earth that we live on because all the things that we have and all the things that we need for our survival come from the Earth. And we often forget that. What I would like to have happen someday, perhaps in the schools, when the boys and girls do the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag, they should include at the end of that: thank you, Earth.” (Elder Louis Mofsie, Founder of Thunderbird American-Indian Dancers)
