THE SCULPTURE:
Be Heard, Behin Ha Design Studio’s sculpture for the Plywood Protection Project, is a large-scale plywood megaphone. Plywood panels are arranged to create the conical form of the megaphone and assembled to create the structural framework that holds it up. Behin Ha worked with fabrication shop afoam of Ridgewood, Queens to build their Plywood Protection Project.
The plywood was previously used as a barrier, providing security to businesses from the perceived threat of the protests on one side, and a canvas for expression to street artists and protesters on the other. By transforming the plywood to a megaphone, a device for amplifying people's voices, the project builds on these layers of use and meaning. It aims to elicit a hopeful and optimistic reaction, highlighting the resilience of New York City by showcasing how a material once used as a barrier during protests can be transformed to celebrate free speech and civic engagement.
Click here to see the rest of the Plywood Protection Project sculptures.
Behrang Behin and Ann Ha.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
Behin Ha Design Studio is an architectural design practice founded by Behrang Behin and Ann Ha. While the duo enjoys working with architectural typologies and scales ranging from small renovations to ground-up new construction, a prominent part of their practice is designing and building public art installations. These projects have been a liberating way to experiment with material, concept and form on a smaller scale and faster timeline than their building projects, while engaging with the public in a direct way. Behin Ha has designed and built public art installations in New York City, Denmark, France, and Coshocton, Ohio, and has a project forthcoming in Jiaxing, China.
Instagram: @behinhadesign