The Living Gallery
The exhibit Defying Devastation: Bushwick inthe 80s is a story of resilience. The neighborhood epitomized
urban decay, but it was the beauty of thosewho loved and thrived in the destruction that art
teacher Meryl Meisler sought to capture whenshe began to take pictures while walking to and from the
subway and school. Thirty years later,Vanessa Mártir, now a writer, came upon an image of herself at
seven years old in one of Meryl’s exhibits.Thus began a sequence of what can only be seen as divinelyinspired
events that culminated in this collaboration.
Vanessa Mártir is a writer of fiction and personalnarrative. A seasoned speaker and workshop facilitator,
Vanessa’sfirst novel, Woman’s Cry, was published in 2007, and she is currently shoppingher second
novel, PlayRight. Vanessa most recently co-wrote, Do Something!: A Handbook for YoungActivists, an
interactive workbook that gives young peopleall the tools they need to change the world. She is currently
completing herfirst memoir, A Dim Capacity for Wings, and a one woman show, Millie’s Girl.Vanessa
works as ateaching artist in NYC public schools, and created the Writing Our LivesWorkshop which
shefacilitates at Hunter College.
Meryl Meisler has received fellowships/grants from New YorkFoundation for the Arts, Time Warner,
Artists Space,CETA, China Institute and Japan Society. She’s exhibited at the BrooklynMuseum, New
Museum, DiaCenter NYC, MASS MoCA, NY Hall of Science, the Whitney, Grand Central Terminaland
throughout theNYC subway system. View Meryl’s TV interview with Gabe Pressman on NBC and on
BrooklynIndependent TV
Patricia J.O’Brien is a multimedia designer and informationarchitect whose work has appeared on major
news,financial and entertainment websites, network and cable affiliate stationsincluding ABC, CBS,
NBC, Disneyand Reuters. She has exhibited at the NY Hall of Science and The MetropolitanMuseum of
Art, and received an Artists Space Grant.
