work progress collective (wpc), 2009 - 2012
wpc is a hybrid identity, equal parts artist, journalist, political activist, archivist and curious observer. the collective is also a working agency, referential of a modern day farm security administration documentation and social response initiative. wpc was founded in 2009 by erica leone, heather m. o’brien and felisia tandiono. in 2010 the collective completed a residency with the lower manhattan cultural council on governors island, ny. in various capacities the collective has engaged in and observed image-making during the economic recession of 2008 and beyond, including conducting focus groups, research outings, and producing cultural data through video and photographic means.
wpc has also initiated various public and interactive projects including surveys and audio interviews in lower manhattan, an open call for economic recession-based images, dialogues relating to image-making and image consumption, educational workshops, and a public auction/foreclosure installation. the farm security administration framework has driven wpc to continue working in the theme of image and archive, visual thinking, lens-based history and the urban socio-economic condition.
wpc has been featured in the new york times, flavorpill, new deal 2.0, new york 1, bronxnet and whitewall magazine. the collective has exhibited their work at the dumbo arts festival, badcat mobile1, the lower manhattan cultural council art center on governor's island, the bronx river art center, franklin street works, and the passage gallery at purchase college SUNY. workshops have been held had at nyu polytech and the school at the international center of photography and in 2010 wpc participated in the creative time/ps1 open door program.
