In conjunction with the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC), The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, chashama, and Citizens Committee for New York City, artist Matthew Jensen will exhibit work from his project Nowhere In Manhattan. The exhibition will open with a reception on August 13th from 6:00-9:00pm at chashama gallery, 112 West 44th Street, near Times Square. Some of the images featured in the exhibition are also on view at http://www.NowhereInManhattan.org.

Nowhere In Manhattan is an ongoing project by New York City based artist Matthew Jensen. To begin the project, Jensen set out to find and explore the places in Manhattan that most defy the notion of New York City; the few parts of the borough that feel like anywhere and nowhere. The resulting photographs would shock most New Yorkers. Seascapes, rocky outcroppings, dark forests, abandoned buildings, off-the-grid dwellings and sterile underpasses all defy the idea of New York City.

Similar to previous work, Jensen’s Nowhere In Manhattan explores the idea of nowhere and the notion of a non-place. The photographs demonstrate the lure of being in a location that lacks both identity and the presence of control, offering both a mental and visual release for New Yorkers who may find it exhausting to live in the most identifiable city in the world. However, the photographs from Nowhere In Manhattan are only the beginning, Jensen states, “I want to generate discussion and action around the idea that ‘nowhere’ is something that can be incorporated into the sustainable design of a city. It is in these tiny pockets of nowhere, that are what they are without permission or planning, that cost nothing to sustain, where Manhattanites can find temporary escape from the surrounding city.”

The next phase of Nowhere In Manhattan is to put “nowhere everywhere” and turn vacant billboards and construction sites into temporary virtual green and open space. Utilizing donated billboards, empty storefronts and construction site scaffolding, the images will appear and disappear throughout the borough without text or introduction. They will be quiet reminders of what was once there and of what still remains only a train or bus ride away. Residential neighborhoods with the least green space will be the first venues for these exhibitions.

The final phase of Nowhere In Manhattan is the preservation of several specific landscapes, not only from development, but also from beautification. Many photographs were taken in places like Central Park, Highbridge Park and Inwood Park, all locations that will remain protected. However, others are from more offbeat locations that could see development or beautification. The promotion of these endangered ‘nowheres’ will be the job of The Manhattan Center for the Understanding and Protection of Nowhere, a working installation by Jensen in 2010. During the installation, Jensen will set up the temporary “MCUPN” and attempt to reach out to city officials, preservationists, landscape architects and urban planners to generate discussion on why and how Manhattan should preserve and protect such places.