What is Vender? What does it mean to sell?
Vender: In Spanish this word encompasses the act of selling
Sell: to deliver the personal services of for money; the exchange of goods and services which involves the use of currency.
The Inspiration behind “Vender: Street Vending in Sunset Park” originated from the idea of New York being “the crossroads of the world”. While this saying is true, most residents and tourists associate this phrase with the borough of Manhattan. Street Vending (food vendors in particular) is part of the “crossroads” experience, but it is the food that is highlighter rather than the individual that is selling it. Sunset Park comes to mind because it is the lesser-known areas of New York and it’s the experience that these vendors go through on a daily basis that give their food significance on a personal level. The Exhibit is through the form of a walking-listening tour where participants are welcomed to Sunset Park and take in the sights, sounds, and a taste of the neighborhood. Including the vendors background and culture provides the tour an unscripted experience that humanizes the vendors. Visting their vending spaces provides an intimate feeling and a sense of being welcomed while at the same time, the dialogue between the vendors and the tour participants allows the group to be incorporated into the “vending culture”.
