#NoHudsonValleyHype
Have you seen this mural?
In 2021, we thwarted a project organized by 2 real estate companies who attempted to cause harm in 2 big ways: by gentrifying (aka hoarding housing, overcharging, & evicting) & by art-washing (the use of art and artists in a positive way to distract from or legitimize negative actions by an individual, organization, country, or government—especially in reference to gentrification) via a mural festival called "Hudson Valley Hype."
The festival proposal was created by Seraphim Equities, a real estate company whose self-written mission is to "algorithmically identify and acquire cash-flowing properties in developing markets at the embryonic stage of the revitalization movement of the city" (aka capitalize on and hoard housing in areas where many folks exist unhoused) in partnership with Fidelity Real Estate Management. The company bought up an astounding amount of property in Newburgh New York when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and states on their website that "Newburgh re-emerges with a major revitalization movement fueled by an existing and growing artist community, non-profit organizations, and ambitious yet socially conscious developers, making Newburgh a city worth exploring." Seraphim is taking advantage of Newburgh by hoarding housing during a pandemic, flipping properties, and then using the creative community as a means to increase property values, ultimately displacing creatives and other long time residents, many of whom are low income BIPOC.
Seraphim attempted to launch Hudson Valley Hype under the guise of a "community building mural festival." They solicited non-local artists to make murals in Newburgh in an effort to make the city "safer", "more walkable", & to "help support local businesses." These are CLASSIC buzzwords used by realtors as they gentrify impacted areas. The questions we ask are "safer for who?" "More walkable for who?" "Why do business owners get priority over people just trying to live?"
Furthermore, Seraphim did not include local and/or marginalized creatives in their planning. Instead, they funded a non-local, white-passing, cisgender, male artist named Josh Deitchman to make the first mural... and he unfortunately chose to paint a Black femme body. There are so many impacted artists of color in Newburgh who would love to reflect their community through art in their city. If Seraphim really cared about Newburgh, they would simply fund local artists so that their needs are met and they can share their work- not create an environment where they are unhoused and unwelcomed. We attempted to call Josh in but were meant with defensiveness and fragility. We recognize that times are hard for so many of us and that people like Josh have needs as well, but we will continue to call artists in to act for the collective whenever possible. None of us can thrive by putting others down. We must unlearn what the capitalist fine arts industrial complexes teaches us and recognize that our interests, goals, and livelihoods are intertwined.
Celebrate845 spoke to marginalized, low income, Newburgh artists & synthesized these demands:
- Hold muralist Josh @lowkey_creative accountable: "Josh, you got used. You somehow connected with these realtors & they tricked you into working for them. Granted, your choice of subject matter is really problematic as Black bodies should rep themselves, but Seraphim & Fidelity didn't help. It is so easy for artists to take realtor's bait but we need to be diligent about who we work for, where we work, & who will be impacted. We call on you to own up to making a mistake by painting a Black femme, share your plan to fix or erase the mural, & to publicly denounce Seraphim & Hudson Valley Hype."
- Hold Seraphim Equities and Fidelity Real Estate Management accountable: "just stop! Stop hoarding so many properties, raising rents, attracting folx from out of town, & evicting low-income/disabled folx!"Demand that "Hudson Valley Hype" be cancelled: while we love public art, your resources should be going to the people of Newburgh. Folx need things like affordable housing, access to affordable healthy food, & clean water. It is not okay for you to assume Newburgh's needs so here they are #NoHudsonValleyHype
- Demand that "Hudson Valley Hype" be cancelled: while we love public art, your resources should be going to the people of Newburgh. Folx need things like affordable housing, access to affordable healthy food, & clean water. It is not okay for you to assume Newburgh's needs, so here they are.
Epilogue: Hudson Valley Hype was cancelled!
We know that Seraphim still exists and is still preying upon Newburgh, but we are so grateful to all the local creatives who were able to put individualism aside and focus on the well being of impacted people in Newburgh by shutting this festival down. Keep stepping into your power!
