Frequently Asked Questions

What is Immigrant Movement International doing?

Immigrant Movement International (IM International) is a five-year project initiated by artist Tania Bruguera. Its mission is to help define the immigrant as a unique, new global citizen in a post-national world and to test the concept of arte útil or “useful art”, in which artists actively implement the merger of art into society’s urgent social, political and scientific issues.

During 2011, IM International is located in Queens, NY—a borough where 167 languages are spoken and where 46 percent of the population is foreign born. From its office on Roosevelt Avenue in Corona (a neighborhood dominated by Ecuadorian, Dominican, Mexican, Chinese, South Asian, Korean immigrants), IM International provides space for member and outreach activities by local social service and cultural organizations, engages elected officials, and hosts monthly “Make a Movement” Sundays in which artists, activists, and community members come together to celebrate and build a new, cross-national immigrant community.

As it moves to different locations around the world, IM International will draw on the lessons learned in the multinational and transnational neighborhood of Corona and its vibrant and pioneering organizations run by immigrants for immigrants.

Year One of Immigrant Movement International is supported by The Queens Museum of Art, located in Queens’ historic Flushing Meadows Corona Park, and CreativeTime, a public art organization that sponsors art and artists all over New York City.

Who is Immigrant Movement International?
Tania Bruguera’s Immigrant Movement International, presented by CreativeTime and the Queens Museum of Art, is a long-term art project in the form of an artist-initiated socio-political movement.

The project is also everyone involved: the staff, the immigrant community, the active participants, and those who are working within the Movement.

How long is the project?
The intended duration of the project is five years, beginning with Year 1 in Corona, Queens.

Who is the artist Tania Bruguera?
Tania Bruguera is one of the leading political and performance artists of her generation. Bruguera’s work researches ways in which Art can be applied to the everyday political life; creating a public forum to debate ideas shown in their state of contradictions and focusing on the transformation of the condition of “viewer” onto one of “citizenry.” Bruguera uses the terms ARTE DE CONDUCTA (conduct/ behavior art) and ARTE UTIL (useful art) to define her practice.

Bruguera has participated in Documenta, Performa, Venice, Gwangju and Havana Biennales and at exhibitions at mayor museums in Europe and United States including the Tate Modern, The WhitechapelGallery, PS1, ZKM, IVAM, Kunsthalle Wien, and The New Museum of Contemporary Art. Her work is part of the collection of the Tate Modern; Museum für Moderne Kunst; Daros Foundation; Museo del Barrio; Bronx Museum; IVAM; Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Centro de Arte Contemporáneo Wifredo Lam.

A graduate of the MFA programs at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (United States) and Instituto Superior de Arte (Cuba), Bruguera is also the Founder / Director of Arte de Conducta; the first politic art studies program in the world, hosted by Instituto Superior de Arte in Havana. She is visiting faculty at Ecole des Beaux-Arts, Paris, IUAV in Venice and Rijksakademie in Amsterdam.

How can I get information about future events?
There is a calendar posted under Events (Upcoming) that shows weekly and monthly views of all events.

How can I get involved with this project?
The easiest way to get involved with the project is to visit the space located at 108-59 Roosevelt Avenue.

For Artists, Immigrant and Social Service Organizations, and Volunteers you can contact us at: united@immigrant-movement.us

What kind of services related to immigration does IM International provide?
IM International provides free consultations with immigration lawyers usually by interest and walk in appointment. IM International will also provide ESOL classes to those interested in learning English, and informational sessions centered around the citizenship process. The ESOL classes will focus on vocabulary necessary to understand immigrant rights.

IM International also provides workshops for children, like the Paper Orchestra, which provides music lessons to children as well as English instruction.

Where is the Immigrant Movement International Headquarters located?
The Immigrant Movement International Headquarters is located at 108-59 Roosevelt Avenue in Queens New York. By subway: Take the 7 Flushing Local or Express, exit at the 111th Street Station. Walk to 108-59 Roosevelt Avenue, Queens, NY. Immigrant Movement International is about a 1 minute walk from station.

What are IM International’s hours?
Official Hours are 10:00 am to 6:00 pm (but the space is often open earlier and closes later than these stated hours).

What else can I visit while in Corona?
Corona is home to Flushing Meadows Corona Park, one of the largest parks in New York City and site of the 1939 and 1965 World’s fairs, as well as housing the Queen’s Museum of Art (which is home to a scale model panorama of NYC), Queen’s Zoo, the New York Hall of Science, Citi Field, and the giant uni-sphere that was built specifically for the 1939 World’s Fair. Corona has had an exceptional history of talented Jazz Musicians who resided in the area, including Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, and Louis Armstrong, whose house still stands and has been preserved into a visitable museum.

As well as the park and the cultural institutions in it, Corona offers a variety of restaurants and street vendors. Most recognizable, The Lemon Ice King, has been bringing people to Corona for close to 60 years.

What are ‘Make a Movement’ Sundays?
‘Make a Movement’ Sundays a community oriented event series which takes place the first Sunday of every month with the intent of coalition building and bringing the community together in discussion.

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