When my bandmate asked me if I wanted to attend his “friend’s performance art wedding celebration at an art collective in Queens,” I said yes without hesitation. Wonderland Collective is a community art space in Astoria that hosts a wide range of activities from capoeira to rowdy dance parties, concerts, drawing, hula hooping, open mics, art shows and more. One gets the sense that perhaps many of these activities happen simultaneously. The performance space is in a former factory from 1912, replete with a towering brick smokestack. The building is now zoned for commercial and office, and has 35 units inside. The letters A.S.W. painted at the top of the smokestack are likely in reference to Astoria Soundworks, a sound studio located in the same building:
A long hallway with painted murals leads to a bar area and a 2000 sq ft space for performances:
The best spot though is the 1500 sq ft. sunrise view roof deck. The smokestack emerges through the roof deck, just to the right:
Plant life abounds on this deck and there is even a downloadable Wonderland Plant Guide, an overview to the variety on the roof:
The row of residential houses surrounding the building also seems to be taking its planting seriously. This was a really nice surprise, especially in this post-industrial neighborhood with a mostly plant-less streetscape:
Inside the main performance space were some existential messages:
Finally, the bride and groom gave separate performances, him on guitar, her in dance form:
Wonderland Collective: 3801 23rd Avenue @ 38th St. in Astoria
