5 Things: Battle of Brooklyn Art Event at Proteus Gowanus

Article by: Will Yakowicz

1. The Battle of Brooklyn. Head over to Proteus Gowanus, 543 Union St., for Battle Ground, Battle of Brooklyn Art Event. The Battle Ground exhibition is the culmination of a yearlong exploration of the Battle of Brooklyn through a Proteus Gowanus initiative called BATTLE PASS in which installations and performances have marked Revolutionary War battle sites throughout the city. The exhibit will explore the pathos of the Battle of Brooklyn, stimulating our collective memory, evoking parallels between past and present, while focusing on the complexity, moral ambiguity, and devastation of this important Revolutionary confrontation. Historical imagery, rendered meaningless by over-use and political manipulation, will be revived in new forms.

2. Get your brew on. Don’t miss this sudsy event: Brewshop 101: Homebrewing Essentials at Bitter & Esters, 700 Washington Ave. Learn how to brew your own beer! You’ll be taught all the basics to get up and running while actually brewing a batch of beer. You'll learn about extract brewing, malts, grains, yeasts and how to avoid or troubleshoot the most common problems. All reference materials will be provided as well as a home brew sample for tasting. Beginners welcome!

3. Feel the gravity of art. Come to Brooklyn Museum for Gravity and Grace: Monumental Works by El Anatsui.This is the first solo show in a New York museum by El Anatsui and will feature over 30 primarily large-scale works in metal and wood that transform appropriated objects into site-specific sculptures. Anatsui converts found materials into a new type of media that lies between the bounds of sculpture and painting. In so doing, he combines aesthetic traditions from his birth country Ghana, his home in Nsukka, Nigeria, and the global history of abstraction.

4. Get Jazzed. Don’t miss the 14th Annual Central Brooklyn Jazz Festival at Sugar Hill Disco & Restaurant, 609 Dekalb Ave. This music series is New York City's longest continuously running grassroots festival dedicated to jazz. More than 500 artists performing in nearly 50 events at venues throughout Brooklyn, Long Island and Staten Island. This celebration is financially accessible and open to all. For information contact CBJC at 718.773.2252 orinfo@cbjcjazz.org.

5. Move your car. Alternate side parking rules are in effect today.