Local artist Sandréa Flowers debuted “V.O.I.C.E. Hall: The Employee Gallery” at Bronx Kreate Hub on July 27. The exhibit aims to uplift employees of all types, creating a space where they can speak openly and be appreciated for their work.
Flowers, a transportation infrastructure executive with over two decades of corporate experience, noticed an overarching need for an independent space dedicated to employees.
“We don’t highlight, we don’t archive, we don’t save what they’ve done. We certainly don’t acknowledge their voice,” said Flowers.
In the future, Flowers envisions a V.O.I.C.E Hall building and/or community space dedicated to recognizing employees; hiring a licensed social worker, hosting organizational award ceremonies and company parties.
The exhibition included “On the Record,” an interactive installation that provided the attendees the chance to flip through a curated collection of archival materials relative to the employee voice, including documents from the early 20th century.
“So I want to see, well, what is out there from years ago? What has been recorded, what has been passed on, what has been saved?,” Flowers said.
Flowers created or curated almost all of the installations, including ‘The Pen Is The Sword,” a sword constructed with pens and shoelaces, and ‘Amparo,’ a shield sculpted with plywood, pens and shoelaces.
Brittany Bess, Flowers’ daughter who she enlisted to cater the event, found these handmade sculptures particularly moving.
“That’s all you have in the workforce sometimes when you’re not in a leadership position, especially as a woman, especially as a person of color. So the pen is our sword and that’s our strongest ally when it comes to feeling like you don’t have any other grounds to stand on in the workforce,” said Bess, who will be launching her own food business Thee Bess Bite Theory soon.
Bess recruited a longtime friend, Danielle Walsh, for help in catering the event after finding out that Walsh had started Sips Co., a fresh drink business. While Bess served guests homemade empanadas, Walsh brought her own Ginger Lemonade and Apple Fusion juices. .
“I do enjoy the fact that everybody that’s here is speaking about their employee experience and basically just seeing that community and seeing how people have the same experiences or maybe totally different experiences and that allows them to give advice to other people,” Walsh said.
Flowers did feature the work of one other artist: her niece, Ariana Davis.
“Our voice doesn’t start as an adult. It starts as a child,” said Flowers on the importance of featuring Davis. Davis’ painting was titled “LOVE” and depicted red hearts on a purple background. Flowers hopes to collaborate with other featured artists in future iterations.
Other installations included “Who R U?,” a which invites viewers to interrogate their own self-perception, “The Labyrinth: How Did You Get Here?,” a series of mazes which represent the non circular paths of working life, “Tied Together,” a sculpture highlighting the collective structure of corporate work and an interactive “Employee Suggestion Box,” encouraging attendees to leave their own thoughts.
One attendee, Kimberly Fields, most enjoyed the “Tied Together” installation.
“I love the way she put the concept of putting the threads together. But yet you had that inner circle that just popped. And it makes sense, because you always have to have that circle at the workplace in order for everything to pop,” said Fields, who met Flowers through a shared hairstylist.
Charles Reeves, who enjoys his work with the New York City Housing Authority, appreciated the opportunity to contribute to the suggestion box.
“In truth, every day is a gift. Please remind your friends and family how much you love them, and because one day, you won’t be able to,” wrote Reeves.
Maurice Burbridge is an intern at the Bronx Times. He can be reached at mburbridge@schnepsmedia.com. For more coverage, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!
