THE CHICAGO YOUTH ART EXPO (CYE) EXPANDS TO INCLUDE YOUTH MENTORING
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Applications are now being accepted from Chicago area students to participate in the second annual Chicago Youth Art Challenge (CYAC) and newly expanded mentoring program. CYAC is an initiative of The Four Arts Men, a collective of renowned Chicago-based artists passionate about providing a platform for young artists to express themselves and make a positive impact through art. They are Barrett Keithley, Blake Lenoir, Eddie Santana White and Dwight White.
Pigment International partnered with the artists to create the program, and this year it has been expanded to include a nine month mentoring program. Students will have regular check in sessions with the artists, attend some of the premier arts shows in the city, visit historic Black art sites and end the year with an exhibition during October’s Black Fine Art Month.
Students in grades 9–12 are eligible to register and may do so here. For more info or to support the students please e-mail phyliss.north@gmail.com.
GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY JOINS H-DAP TO SHOWCASE BLACK ART AT HBCUs
In January, Grambling State University President Martin Lemelle, Jr. DBA, joined a growing list of Historically Black Colleges and Universities partnering with the HBCU Digital Art Project (H-DAP) in an initiative that seeks to preserve and elevate the rich artistic and cultural heritage housed with in HBCUs. Founded by Valerie A. Cooper, owner of Picture That Consultants, the project was created to rectify the omission and marginalization of the Black art to overall American art history. It is supported by the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM).
“H-DAPS searchable digital directory and digital repository will leverage cutting-edge technology to capture the intricate details and vibrant works included in the GSU collection,” said Cooper.
“Grambling State University is proud to stand alongside other HBCU’s in this effort to illuminate the beauty, significance, and stories held within our collections. We look forward to seeing the transformative impact of the HBCU Digital Art Project.
Added Pigment International founder and CEO Patricia Andrews-Keenan, who holds a BA in Journalism from GSU, “the elevation of Black art and artists has never been more important when history is under assault. I’m proud of the skills I acquired at GSU that have allowed me to elevate Black art.”
There are 107 HBCU’s across the country.
Read President Lemelle Letter
Read more about H-DAP in Pigment Newsletter and in our Pigment Magazine.
ILA X KAC: BRIDGING CONNECTIONS OPENING RECEPTION
By Doug Williams
Bridging Connections is a collection of work by four emerging Chicago artists exhibited at Kimball Art Center (KAC). This is the second year in collaboration with ILA Creative, who curated the show with works by Arrington Porter, Raven Smith, Joshua Cook and Somari Davis-El. For the opening, the young, up and coming Black artists participated in a panel discussion, moderated by visual artist, and ILA Creative Studio board member, Paul Branton. Some of the artists, are showing for the first time, including Davis-El, who explores art as a therapeutic freedom from her structured professional work. They are layered thoughts and feelings rendered in line, form, color and playful textures. Artists Smith and Cook have shown at Black Creativity. Impressions of music come through the colors of Porter’s work. It’s reflected in his music practice and DNA, given family history (Art Porter). You can also see Cook’s impressionist work, A Toast to Brothers at Griffin MSI’s Black Creativity, yet you can experience more of his family photo inspired works in this ILAxKAC show. Smith’s cinematic inspired work sensually moves from oils to feathers and pearls, right off the canvas.
ILA Creative Studio is an organization with a clear mission of connecting Black artists to resources that help elevate their individual purpose.
Cheers to the collaboration made by ILA Creative Studio and Kimball Arts Center Chicago. Show continues through April.
ART GROUPS RESISTS EFFORTS AT ERASURE
Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education (CAPE) engages students, inspires teachers and artists, and demonstrates impact by weaving visual, digital, and performing arts into classrooms across Chicago. They offered commentary on the upending of the U.S. Constitution by the current administration:
The new presidential administration, in its first few weeks, has upended the US Constitution by unilaterally making cuts to spending on critical domestic and international programs, and by announcing policy priorities that directly threaten the humanity of Americans and youth across the board. These changes threaten the accessibility of high-quality arts education, which we know is critical for student success and community enrichment.
Nyla Forman, a student of the Chicago Academy for the Arts who is currently exhibiting artwork at CAPE, reminds us that art is vital: “My main focus in art is joy. I think there is such a lack of happiness in the world right now, and all I want to do to feel better is to create joy.”
Read the full commentary here.
Share your commentaries and effort to resist erasure, we want to share them with us at pigmentintl@gmail.com
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