New York University

New York University

The Office of Public Affairs

Wednesday, Jun 10, 2009

N-494, 2008-09

Fresh Kills was once the world’s biggest landfill and still qualifies as one of the largest built structures in human history. It was also a torment to Staten Islanders for more than half a century. Can New Yorkers love a geography made of discards that was created despite the passionate objections of its hosts and neighbors?

New York University anthropologist Robin Nagle will address the significance of Fresh Kills in a public lecture, “Sacred Geography: How to Love a Landfill,” on Sat., June 20, noon-3 p.m. on the North Mound of Freshkills Park.

Nagle, who is the director of NYU’s Draper Interdisciplinary Master’s Program and the New York City Department of Sanitation’s anthropologist-in-residence, suggests that Fresh Kills, both as a landfill of yesteryear and as a park of tomorrow, merits our affection and contends that Fresh Kills is sacred space.

The lecture, which is sponsored by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR), is free and open to the public, but an RSVP is required to Martha Powers at martha.powers@parks.nyc.gov. Space is limited. If you are a member of the press looking to attend, please specify in your RSVP, as you will need to gain special clearance. Call 212.788.8277 for more information.

A DPR bus will pick up attendees at Staten Island’s St. George Ferry Terminal (1 Bay St.) on the “Taxi” level at noon, take them to the event, and deliver them back to the terminal between 2:30 and 3 p.m.