April 2017 solo exhibitions at MFA – NATALIE CHEUNG & NATE LEWIS

Increments in Time Cyanotypes by NATALIE CHEUNG Tensions in Tapestries Hand-sculpted paper photo prints by NATE LEWIS Friday, April 7 – April 26th, 2015 OPENING DAY RECEPTION  Friday, April 7th, 6pm-8pm Both artists will be in attendance. NATALIE CHEUNG, 53 Hours, 2017, 30″x44″, cyanotype on paper NATE LEWIS, Mobile, 2017, 40″x26″, hand sculpted paper photo print EXHIBITION LOCATION Morton Fine Art (MFA) 1781 Florida Ave NW (at 18th & U Sts) Washington, DC 20009 HOURS Tuesday – Saturday 11am – 6pm Sunday 12pm-5pm About NATALIE CHEUNG and Increments in Time: Increments in Time features Cheung’s cyanotype mappings of evaporation. Cheung’s cyanotypes are reduced to the essential elements of capturing and recording light; light, paper, chemical reaction and chance which hearken back to the scientific roots of the medium. The prints record the transition from liquid to blueprint. The title of each work indicates the hours in which it took water to evaporate completely from the paper. What remains is the aftermath of an event, a map. This work examines the way in which nature perpetually creates patterns, seemingly random and chaotic yet with regularity and repetition. NATALIE CHEUNG, 40 & 31 Hours, 2017, 30″x44″, cyanotype on paper Natalie was born in Falls Church, Virginia. She received her MFA in Photography from Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia and her BFA in Photography from the Corcoran College of Art + Design in Washington, DC. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally; she has been profiled in Washington Spaces Magazine and has her work is represented in numerous collections including the Museum of Fine Art Houston and the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. Cheung has taught at the George Washington University as well as the Corcoran College of Art + Design and Temple University, Tyler School of Art. This marks her second solo exhibition at Morton Fine Art. About NATE LEWIS and Tensions in Tapestries: We all have a lens through which we see. Our lens is distilled by our patterns of seeing and thinking which continually refines our lens. The lens we come to form becomes our filter.  Using figurative and portrait style images I hand-sculpt  patterns and textures on to single sheets of paper that reveal unseen tensions on and within bodies representative of the past, present, and future – the physical and the spiritual, the tangible and intangible.  Internal, as well as external influences come to refine our patterns of thinking, seeing, interacting and loving. Through the use of presence and absence, textures and distortion, I aim to challenge the filters we hold that dictate our views and our actions. Through an attentive, intentional process of sculpting patterns and terrains of texture on  bodies, I seek for this work to mirror the intentionality and consistency it can take in ones patterns of thinking and seeing to hold an empathetic lens. -NATE LEWIS, 2017 NATE LEWIS, Thrice, 2017, 26″x40″, hand sculpted paper photo print Nathaniel Lewis grew up in Beaver Falls, near Pittsburgh, Pa. Born 1985, Nate benefited from the cultural mix of his Trinidad-born father who was raised in Brooklyn and his white American-born mother, raised in Philadelphia. He graduated from VCU with his BSN and has been a practicing critical care nurse for the past five years as well as professional fine artist.  Tensions in Tapestries is Nate’s second solo exhibition at Morton Fine Art. About Morton Fine Art: Founded in 2010 in Washington, DC, Morton Fine Art (MFA) is a fine art gallery and curatorial group that collaborates with art collectors and visual artists to inspire fresh ways of acquiring contemporary art. Firmly committed to the belief that anyone can become an art collector or enthusiast, MFA’s mission is to provide accessibility to museum-quality contemporary art through a combination of substantive exhibitions and a welcoming platform for dialogue and exchange of original voice. Available Artwork by NATALIE CHEUNG Available Artwork by NATE LEWIS Morton Fine Art

Contact Information  (202) 628-2787 mortonfineart@gmail.com www.mortonfineart.com

ANDREI PETROV’s “Moments of Clarity” Solo Exhibition

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AMBER ROBLES GORDON at the Houston Museum of African-American Culture

THE HOUSTON MUSEUM OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN CULTURE PRESENTS  i found god in myself: a celebration of Dr. Ntozake Shange’s, for colored girls

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FRIDAY, MARCH 10, 2017 THROUGH APRIL 15, 2017  Houston, TX- February 7, 2017— In honor of Women’s History Month, The Houston Museum of African-American Culture (HMAAC) is proud to present, i found god in myself: a celebration of Dr. Ntozake Shange’s for colored girls, curated by Souleo. The exhibit celebrates the genre bending, award-winning choreopoem/play, for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf, which debuted on Broadway in 1976.

Through 10 commissioned artworks by artists including Houston native Kimberly Mayhorn, Dianne Smith, Margaret Rose Vendryes and Amber Robles-Gordon the exhibition is a tribute to the Broadway play. Each work honors an individual poem and underscores their enduring significance in highlighting issues impacting the lives of women of color such as sexuality, race, sisterhood, violence and self-love depicted in and inspired by Dr. Shange’s work.

 “This exhibition underscores the conversation Dr. Shange started, extending the legacy and impact of her work into the visual arts medium,” explains Souleo, curator of i found god in myself. “The issues surrounding love, sexuality, gender equality, racial identity, and, ultimately, self-love explored by her work remain relevant today,” said Souleo.

 The exhibition will also include archival material that highlights the creation and evolution of the original text from its 1974 California debut to its Broadway run from the Barnard Archives and Special Collections at Barnard College.

 i found god in myself originally debuted in 2014 at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Long Gallery Harlem (formerly The Sol Studio) and La Maison d’Art. It has since traveled to the African American Museum in Philadelphia and is now presented at HMAAC.

Special programming accompanying the exhibition includes:
Friday, March 10, 6:30-8:30 PM: Opening Reception at HMAAC with curator and select exhibiting artists in attendance. Wine and light fare will be provided.

A full listing of related public programs can be found at www.hmaac.org

Exhibiting Artists: 

Amber Robles-Gordon, Beau McCall, Dianne Smith, Kathleen Granados, Kimberly Mayhorn, Margaret Rose Vendryes, Melissa Calderón, Michael Paul Britto, Pamela Council, and Uday K. Dhar.
###ABOUT HOUSTON MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURE 
The mission of the Houston Museum of African American Culture (HMAAC) is to collect, conserve, explore, interpret, and exhibit the material and intellectual culture of Africans and African Americans in Houston, the state of Texas, the southwest and the African Diaspora for current and future generations. HMAAC explores stories inspired by themes of opportunity, empowerment, creativity, and innovation and cultural interrelationships through the lens of the African American experience.

 About Dr. Ntozake Shange:

Ntozake Shange is an American playwright, and poet. As a self-proclaimed black feminist, she addresses issues relating to race and feminism in much of her work.  Shange is best known for the Obie Award-winning play, For Colored Girls.  She has also written several novels including Sassafrass, Cypress & Indigo, Liliane, and Betsey Brown. Among her honors and awards are fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation and the Lila Wallace Reader’s Digest Fund, and a Pushcart Prize.

 About Peter “Souleo” Wright:

Peter “Souleo” Wright creates and produces entertaining and informative events, exhibitions, cultural programs and media content. Souleo has collaborated with noteworthy institutions and brands including the New York Public Library, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Stax Museum of American Soul Music, Leslie Lohman Museum of Gay & Lesbian Art, AARP, Huffington Post, EBONY and more. Souleo’s work has been widely covered outlets including the Associated Press, NY Times, NBC and more.

 

ROSEMARY FEIT COVEY at CultureSummit 2017 Abu Dhabi

CultureSummit 2017

April 9–13, 2017 Abu Dhabi

Participants

The faculty for the event will be experienced, well-known, world-class artists and cultural leaders who will have shaped the program and who will chair sessions and help guide them to productive conclusions. The event has already generated extraordinary interest, commitments to attend from representatives of over 50 countries worldwide, and the participation of some of the world’s most prominent arts organizations, performers, visual artists, media, tech, philanthropy, and government leaders.

Cultural Diplomat Award Winners

Madeleine Albright

Former U.S. Secretary of State

Sesame Workshop

represented by Sherrie Westin, EVP of Global Impact & Philanthropy

Producers of Sesame Street worldwide

El Sistema

represented by Eduardo Mendez, Executive Director Simon Bolivar Music Foundation

Creators of the El Sistema Youth Orchestra Program

The West-Eastern Divan Orchestra

represented by Tabare Perlas, General Manager

The Arab-Israeli Orchestral Initiative

Artists-In-Residence

Tan Dun

Academy Award-winning Composer (PRC)

Liz Lerman

Macarthur Award-winning choreographer (USA)

Idris Khan

Internationally acclaimed visual artist (UK)

Presenting Artists

Tim Casson

Casson-Dance Artist, United Kingdom

Sarah Elizabeth Charles

Jazz Vocalist, Composer, & Producer

Rosemary Feit Covey

Print & Multimedia Artist

Sandeep Das

Grammy Award Winning Composer, Silk Road Ensemble

Marina DeBris

Environment Visual Artist

Aaron Koblin

Music & Education Nonprofit

Jo Lawry

Vocalist and Songwriter, Australia

Emeline Michel

Haitian Songstress & Red Cross Ambassador

Nástio Mosquito

Multimedia & Performance Artist

Mutabaruka

Jamaican Rastafari Dub Poet, Musician, Actor, Educator, and Talk-Show Host

Found Sound Nation

(Christopher Marianetti), (Jeremy Thal), (Kyla-Rose Smith)

Music and Education Collective

Young Paris

Rapper & EDM Performer

Falu

Classical Indian singer and songwriter, India

Participating Countries: 

Afghanistan, Angola, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burundi, Canada, China, Columbia, Cote D’ Ivoire, Cuba, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Macedonia, Mali, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Phillipinnes, Poland, Senegal, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tunisia, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Request an Invite

Attendance at this event is by invitation only. If you are an artist, public official, media or technology executive and would like to inquire about this event, please click here.

©2017 CultureSummit

MAYA FREELON ASANTE and The Art of Daring

We are very excited to announce that artist MAYA FREELON ASANTE and her brilliant tissue paper and ink artwork has been featured in Cadillac’s new ad campaign “The Art of Daring”!

You can watch the video featuring Maya and her work below:

For Maya’s available works, please visit her page on our website or contact the gallery.

VICTOR EKPUK in The Memphis Daily News

African Art Begins Transition at Brooks Museum

By Bill Dries

For many visitors to the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, the museum’s African art collection has been a modest display of traditional African art symbolized by a grouping of large masks on a plain wall.

Victor Ekpuk is creating a 58-foot-long mural at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art over the next two weeks as the centerpiece of a newly configured African arts exhibit area. 

(Daily News/Andrew J. Breig)

That began to change this week with the creation of a 58-foot-long mural by Nigerian-American artist Victor Ekpuk on the once-unadorned wall.

When Ekpuk completes the mural in about two weeks, the rest of the African art area will be on its way to a much different look as well.

“We’re trying to help people understand that art in Africa – while there is this long tradition of it, there are also many contemporary artists who are part of the international art scene,” said Marina Pacini, the Brooks’ chief curator. “They are making work that may reference traditional African art but that has a contemporary life of its own that is not necessarily part of its trajectory.”

Ekpuk worked on the intricate blend of African art imagery and Memphis themes with a pair of headphones on Wednesday morning. As he worked, he was listening to the music of Ali Farka Toure, the late Malian singer and musician known for his work at the intersection of traditional Malian music and North American blues.

Ekpuk is expecting more company Saturday as those coming to the museum’s Chalkfest also will be coming inside the museum to get a look at the work in progress. Ekpuk, too, works in chalk and pastels.

His work is called “Drawing Memory” and is part of a series of works he’s done in different places.

“The whole idea of memory – my notion of memory – is that it’s a very ephemeral condition, a human condition,” said Ekpuk, who uses chalk with the idea that it will all be wiped away at some point. “It continues to change and to be affected by circumstances.”

The mural for the Brooks is somewhere between ephemeral and permanent, with about a five-year life.

“It’s not completely ephemeral,” Ekpuk said with a chuckle against a backdrop of symbols and words on a white surface – some mysterious, some familiar, depending on who is taking in the still-forming piece.

And there is Ekpuk’s perspective.

“I was born in Nigeria; I’m an American citizen,” he said. “My memories of where I was born and where I am now is all in flux. It’s affected by circumstances. I decided to make this work to portray the essence of Memphis as I see it being here and through historical context.”

So amidst the imagery you will see the words “I Am a Man,” but “I Am” is separated from the rest of the slogan from the 1968 sanitation workers strike. And “I Am” is a phrase that appears in Ekpuk’s earlier works with specific glyphs. Dots on the Memphis mural might be cotton, and multicolored waves at the bottom might symbolize a river. There could be the body of a guitar in the center.

Ekpuk doesn’t interpret anything in talking about his work. And he cautions against picking out phrases or symbols. In his works, drawing becomes writing and writing becomes drawing. He refers to his drawing as an “independent genre” as opposed to a support for painting. Ekpuk is also a painter.

“My work is generally inspired by African aesthetics,” he said. “That means that I study some of the objects that will be here and the whole aesthetic of what you will be seeing in the African gallery. I study the form … and I reimagine them my own way in my drawings.”

Those items will not necessarily be the same ones museum patrons have seen in the past.

The museum is working with Christa Clarke, the senior curator of Arts of Africa at the Newark Museum in New Jersey.

“They have a vast collection of superb African objects,” Pacini said of the Newark Museum. “She’s going to assemble a small exhibition for us from their collection using a few objects from our collection.”

Some of Ekpuk’s works are in the Newark Museum as well as the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art and The World Bank.

His Memphis mural will stand as the centerpiece for an effort that has an ambitious goal in limited space and limited items. While Ekpuk is thinking about the items to come as he creates the mural, the items the museum is considering for the space are being selected with his style and imagery in mind.

“How do you in a small space like this convey African art?” Pacini asked. “You can’t. It’s a large continent with many countries and many different styles. He’s going to produce something that asks some meaningful questions about bigger pictures that apply across the continent to give people ways to think about African art.”

Click this link to view available artwork by VICTOR EKPUK:

https://mortonfineart.com/Artists/Victor-EKPUK/1/thumbs-caption