SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – Syracuse artist Manuel Matias has a new collection at the Everson Museum of Art, a collection he says shows the beauty in ordinary things.
Matias calls this collection Alphabet City Chronicles, which consists of art made from regular garbage normally found in the streets. In particular, the streets of New York City where he grew up in the 1980s.
“The streets were often filled with drugs and violence, making daily life a struggle,” said Matias. “I remember drawing on the hallway walls white waiting for my parents to come home, finding solace in art amidst the chaos.”
As he grew up, the neighborhood underwent gentrification, with record stores and bodegas being replaced by artisanal markets and luxury boutiques. Matias created this collection to serve as memorials to those disappearing landscapes.
“This show is my favorite expression of how my memories and art intertwine,” he said. “My pieces capture moments in time, serving as a snapshot of my journey and the world around me.”
The Alphabet City Chronicles collection remains on display at the museum through Aug. 18
