Insider Focus: An Oral History of the Whitney’s Neighborhood

Floor Eight, Thomas H. Lee Terrace

Insider Series Members in the Curate Your Own Program

Using one of the outdoor terraces as an observation deck, artist and oral historian Liza Zapol will identify landmarks in the Whitney’s immediate neighborhood and narrate their stories. Gansevoort Street, which runs from the Whitney’s entrance to Eighth Avenue, was once a Native American hunting trail. The Hudson River shore, to the west of the Museum, has evolved over time; once the location of oyster beds it became a major shipping hub, and, later on, its abandoned piers were a site for gay cruising. The meatpacking industry took hold in the neighborhood in the 1930s and flourished through the 1970s; the meat processing facilities just north of the Museum are a reminder of this past. During the talk, participants will also have the opportunity to respond to this history and express their own perspectives through drawing (materials will be provided).

Active Insider Series members are invited to register for these options:

Option 1: Thursday, October 20, 7–8 pm
Option 2: Monday, October 24, 7–8 pm

This is an outdoor event; in the event of inclement weather, an alternative indoor program will be scheduled.

Please note: This event has reached capacity. To join the wait list, email memberinfo@whitney.org. Individual and Dual Insiders Series members are invited to this event: For Individual members, the invitation is for one; for Dual members, the invitation is for two. Registration instructions will be provided by email.

To join or upgrade, call (212) 570-3641.