University Open Air: The Plastic Sea Workshop
The Plastic Sea is a collaborative art project in which community members of all ages are invited to co-create a large-scale mural using reclaimed construction mesh and strips of non-recyclable plastic.
The project promotes environmental education through action: participants engage directly with discarded materials, learning about what is and isn’t recyclable, while reflecting on the overwhelming presence of single-use plastics in daily life.
While weaving the piece together, participants engage in informal learning about environmental responsibility, the aesthetics of discarded materials, and the power of collective creation. The project offers a space for intergenerational dialogue and connection, where environmental awareness is nurtured through hands-on experience and artistic expression.
Once completed, the piece will be carried through the park in a collective performance, transforming the act of walking the artwork into a moving exhibition. This processional moment invites spontaneous public interaction and fosters broader community reflection.
Frahydel Falczuk is a Venezuelan architect and interdisciplinary artist. She trained as a contemporary dance performer at the Escuela de Danza de Caracas, nurturing an artistic practice that weaves together body, space, and materiality. She also pursued graduate studies in Urban Design in Venezuela, expanding her perspective on the intersections between the built environment, public space, and social interaction.
Currently based in New York City, Frahydel has expanded her focus into community engagement through a Community Leadership certificate from CUNY, deepening her interest in cultural management and collaborative creation. Her work in the visual and performing arts explores sustainability and identity, often repurposing discarded materials into immersive installations that spark environmental awareness.
She was awarded an artist residency grant from Chashama as part of a collective of immigrant artists, where she presented the first exhibition of The Plastic Sea along with a series of photographic works. Her recent studies include a Self-Portrait workshop at ICP and The Trash Academy from the Sanitation Foundation of NYC.
Check out all of this semester's UOA programs here.
*In cases of rain, classes will be either moved to the Prospect Park Boathouse or canceled. Registered patrons will be notified by email on the morning of each course day and are also encouraged to check the UOA webpage for updates.
University Open Air is generously supported by The Morris & Alma Schapiro Fund.
101 East Drive
Brooklyn, NY 11225