Battery Marcy, originally part of Fishers Island's fortification efforts, has undergone diverse uses, serving as both a training ground for firefighters and a habitat for flourishing wildlife and vegetation. Fascinated by this integration with the island's ecosystem, Zach and I embarked on a project to cultivate a welcoming environment that embraces its unique character. Our endeavor commenced with the removal of hazardous debris, transforming the former gun turrets and rooms into spaces adorned with artwork. Focusing on the exterior turrets and accessible rooms allowed artists to craft cohesive installations.
Through deliberate spatial design, we encourage visitors to explore and engage with the evolving landscape, sculpting pathways that lead to various installations and gathering spots. As nature continues to shape the surroundings, Battery Marcy remains a dynamic canvas for growth and artistic expression.
Co-Founder
Nathaniel Chaves
Nathaniel Chaves is a long-time Fishers Island resident and mixed media artist whose practice centers on making with marine debris and found objects. His artistic practice hopes to shed new light and context on the objects that we’ve left behind. Some of his fondest projects are those that he’s produced on Fishers Island, with the reclaiming of materials and objects through the help of the community. Through the initiation of a textile collection and recycling program at the Fishers Island Waste Management facility, he produced pieces of artwork using landfill textile waste. He intends that this space will be an extension of the communities of Fishers, furthering the relationship of the materials that we can source through the debris that washes ashore and is heaped into the dumpster. Nathaniel extends immense gratitude to Annette Tourangeau at the Waste Management facility and Michele Klimczak at the Fishers Island Conservancy for helping make his artistic endeavors possible.
Co-Founder
Zachary Lewis
Zachary Lewis is an urban designer and fabricator based in Austin, Texas driven by curating spaces to facilitate connection between people. Professionally, he operates at various scales of design and planning from small area site planning, to targeted revitalization such as this. Zach’s design uses existing elements in a space to define a sense of place to be carried forward. Memories and histories associated with existing objects literally hold memories and a sense of place for residents, honoring that is critical to any future success. He’s passionate about immersing himself in his audience, ensuring his work is tuned into community needs and emotionally resonant to viewers. He visited Fishers Island for the first time in August of 2023 and fell in love with the Island’s strong community connections to its landscape. Zach immediately saw the potential for the bunker site to become a celebrated center of creative community on Fishers.
Space Activation
The project will be a public activation of the interior bunker space to be used as an extension of the existing grassland, as an art installation, and performance space. This existing proposal will be a minimal impact project to serve as a proof of concept of this space to be used in this purpose for future use to the Ferry District and other interested parties. A few improvements will be made, but none will be permanent. Instead, they will stabilize the ruin into a safer state than it is now. It is our intention to highlight rather than hide the unique aspects of this space.
Space activation can be divided into two parts:
- General Activation
- Artist Activation
General Activation
General activation will primarily focus on the spaces surrounding the two circular artillery mounts and its connecting hallway. The back hallways of the bunker will be closed off for public use. Activation of the artillery mount space will include cleaning the space of debris, and introducing engagement elements like ping pong tables and scattered seating. In select cases, our team will artistically rebuild some of the ruins.
The circular mount surrounded by the concrete wall and platform provides a wonderful opportunity for music and theatrical performances to be held in the space. Our team will coordinate to hold and advertise these events throughout the island
Artist Activation
The core of this project will be 5 sites throughout the bunker used as installation spaces by selected artists. The first 4 spaces will be the individual rooms (R1-4) in the interior of the bunker. Unlike most gallery spaces with stark white walls and clean surfaces, we will be highlighting the unique nature of the space, leaving the rooms largely untouched. We hope to work with the natural elements that have slowly grown and made their home in each of the spaces. Rooms are filled with calthemites, as sparrows swoop around; we hope to preserve their homes and coexist with those spaces. Instead of the room being something that one walks into, the room will be secured with visual portals designed depending on the artist's installation. This is to solve the issue of theft and vandalism of the artist work while keeping it usable by the public.