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Sanitation Workers Show Off Paintings And Upcycled Artwork At 2021 DSNY Art Show
By
Ben Yakas
Published Nov 12, 2021
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Maggie Lee/DSNY
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By
Ben Yakas
Published Nov 12, 2021
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Much of the lives of members of the Department of Sanitation (DSNY) revolves around dealing with trash (or, uh, sometimes not dealing with trash)—but now they get to celebrate the creativity in the department. About 30 DSNY employees have been invited to take part in The 2021 DSNY Art Show.
"A lot of times, we have this unsung appearance about us," Charlie Eisenbach, a sanitation worker whose art is featured in the show, told Gothamist this week. "We're just these guys, this workforce that comes out and just gets rid of the garbage and there's no face behind it. So this kind of an exhibit takes that hidden essence away, puts a face to some of the workers that are on the job."
“Sanitation Celebration" opens on November 14th and runs through January 28th at Pace University Gallery in Manhattan. There are photography, video, sculptures, paintings, and more mediums represented, from minimalist self-portraits to large-scale abstract paintings to custom-made sneakers on display. This is the second such DSNY Art Show, after last year's online-only version.
Eisenbach, 42, works out of Williamsburg, and has been a member of DSNY for 22 years as of this March. His interest in photography was first sparked as he travelled the country watching his kids play in AAU basketball; he then started taking photos of his coworkers and of the things he saw while on the job. Although he said he prefers more natural, off-the-cuff shots, he asked a coworker to pose for the photo being shown in this exhibit (see below), because he was particularly struck by the DSNY tattoo on the front of his calf.
Charlie Eisenbach- Untitled
Maggie Lee/DSNY
The show also features photographs, prints and video from DCLA Public Artist in Residence, sTo Len, and from DSNY artist-in-residence Mierle Laderman Ukeles.
There is also a selection of pieces from the Treasures in the Trash collection, curated by retired DSNY worker Nelson Molina. Between 1981 and 2015, Molina collected various items he found while on duty in Carnegie Hill and East Harlem. The items eventually became known as the "Museum of Trash," housed in the second floor of Manhattan East Sanitation Garage Number 11 on the Upper East Side.
Eisenbach noted that a lot of people don't consider the fact that civil servants have artistic ambitions as well (like the NYPD sketch artist who had a gallery opening a few years back).
"You take a career where you're always serving the public, I know for myself, that sometimes in that capacity, some of your own interests get sidetracked," Eisenbach said. "But it's definitely nice to see that some people don't lose that, you know?"
He added that he hopes the work displayed in this gallery can inspire other DSNY workers and civil servants to explore or show off their abilities. "I hope that other employees who have these other hidden talents that they might not necessarily be too forward with letting people know about, I hope that next year, they'll be 30 or 40 exhibits added to this show," he said.
You can get more info on the exhibit here.
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department of sanitation
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The DSNY Art Show
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Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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