This project grows out of our fascination with how elements of 
history contribute to the formation of "Place." Parades, festivals, 
memorial parks, and public statues are intended to reinforce and 
galvanize a positive sense of "place hood" for a community. The 
prominence of these icons and events are indicative of the value 
placed by the culture on a given piece of history. The same can be 
said of neglected or forgotten events, which reveal the vulnerability 
of a culture through the covering up or revision of historical wounds. 
        
The Battle of Brooklyn is notable as the first major battle after the 
drafting of the Declaration of Independence, and marked a decisive shift 
away from customary modes of combat. It is also notable that this battle 
is not incorporated into our local lore, but rather left to the domain of 
American Legion members, low-budget documentary filmmakers and history 
buffs. Generally, people we talk to are surprised to find that a major 
skirmish happened just a few acres from the gallery on Smith Street. Were 
it not for the spirited participants of last years’ Battle Of Brooklyn 
reenactment in Greenwood Cemetery, many of us would be left in the dark 
about this choice nugget of local history. 
        
Our installation will be a small collection of curiosities for the passer 
by. There will be three elements. The first is a collection of artifacts 
about the Battle of Brooklyn. The second is a collection of video images 
taken around Brooklyn, which will be shown on a small LCD screen. The third 
part is a text narrative that will create a relationship between the artifacts 
and the images.