The Harlem Fine Arts Show — an annual five-day art extravaganza — kicks off Thursday at the historic Riverside Church with nearly 100 visual artists, not to mention former Washington Redskins linebacker Andre Collins.
Fine arts show coming to Harlem
BETH STEBNER
Sun, 26 Jan 2014 07:30:35 GMT
Is it possible to be a shape-shifter while remaining strongly grounded at the same time? Robert Pruitt's crayon series, simply entitled "Women," shows such an existence is not just possible -- it is everywhere.
Pruitt's portraits of contemporary African American women incorporate science fiction, hip-hop, 1960s black power, comic book culture and a romantic allegiance to realism. Conjuring the cultural influences that construct identity, Pruitt presents feminine strength from the inside colliding with external forces to create a captivating and fantastical portrait.
Robert Pruitt's Cosmic Cool 'Women' Come To The Studio Museum In Harlem (PHOTOS)
The Huffington Post News Editors
Mon, 22 Jul 2013 12:06:33 GMT
Harlem's famed fine arts museum has been on hiatus but will reopen to the public on July 18 with six new exhibitions.
Studio Museum sets re-opening with 6 fresh installations
LAIGNEE BARRON
Tue, 09 Jul 2013 22:58:12 GMT
Art pops up on Adam Clayton Powell Blvd.
A new type of art gallery has “popped up” in Harlem, showcasing community artists in vacant storefronts along Adam Clayton Powell Blvd.
Art pops up on Adam Clayton Powell Blvd.
AMANDA MOSES
Thu, 21 Jun 2012 00:37:51 GMT
The food desert myth
McWhorter: Almost nobody has a weight problem in West Harlem. Or at least they’re not supposed to, because Fairway is smack in the heart of it, selling fresh produce at decent prices and even offering a free shuttle service for neighborhood residents.
The food desert myth
John McWhorter
Sun, 22 Apr 2012 08:00:28 GMT
February 6, 2012 4:22pm | By Jeff Mays, DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
HARLEM — When Neal Ludevig promotes the Harlem Arts Festival he's planning for the summer in Marcus Garvey Park, the first response is usually: "I missed last year's."
It'll be the inaugural event — there was no last year — but Ludevig still sees the positive in the innocuous mix-ups.
"It shows that the desire is there and that this is needed," said Ludevig, executive director, standing in the Richard Rodgers Amphitheater, the festival's main event stage.
Planned for this June, Ludevig and fellow festival founders J.J. El-Far and Chelsea Goding want the festival to be a multi-discpilnary display of art that is relevant to Harlem.
So while dance, theater and comedy are taking place on the main stage, artist chats, organizers hope, will be going on elsewhere in the park. Visitors could also check out works for sale along the gallery walk entrance to the park or take their kids to some of the children's programming.
The legendary Apollo Theater is opening its doors for free this weekend in honor of Black History Month. From Friday, Feb. 3, to Sunday, Feb. 5, visitors will have unparalleled access to the historic Harlem theater, including presentations on the theater's history, Apollo memorabilia exhibits and a host of performances by previous winners of Apollo's famed Amateur Night.
The weekend kicks off with a concert entitled "Community Sing" Friday at 7 p.m., hosted by the Apollo in collaboration with Carnegie Hall, and featuring Christian jazz ensemble Take 6. To learn more about the weekend's festivities and to RSVP for Friday's concert, visit the Apollo's website.
Previous recommendation: Roberta Flack's Creative New Album.
Apollo Theater's Black History Month Free Open House
Joshua R. Weaver
Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:41:00 GMT
For the second year in a row, Harlem residents turned out Saturday for what has become an annual celebration of fall and community.
Harlem Community Celebrates Ripe Offerings At Annual Harvest Fest
Sat, 08 Oct 2011 18:53:48 GMT
August 1, 2011 1:55pm | By Jeff Mays, DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
HARLEM — It's called Harlem Week, but the events stretch well beyond a month.
When the festival first started in 1974, it became so popular that more days were added. It's name, however, remained the same.
"Only in Harlem can you have a week that lasts a month to 45 days," said Harlem Week vice-chairman Marko Nobles.
"It's always been about showcasing the importance and greatness of the Harlem community and showing why Harlem is one of most recognized neighborhoods in the world," he added.
This year's festival is no exception. With everything from dance parties in the street to an auto show and a 5K race, organizers said the 2011 festival is better than ever.
"There's something for everybody, including events for children, an auto show and even sporting events," said Nobles.
Among the highlights, includes Thursday's kickoff with the New York City Economic Development Seminar Lunch and Exposition at Columbia University's Lerner Hall at 115th and Broadway.
On Aug. 9, a senior citizens "Elder Jubilee" will be held at the State Office Building starting at 10 a.m. at 163 W. 125th Street.
More than 50 black colleges and universities will descend on West 135th Street between Lenox Avenue and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard on Saturday, Aug. 20 during the Black College Fair.
Harlem Day on Aug. 21 will be one of the event's highlights. A children's festival at the P.S. 175 schoolyard, along with an automobile show featuring new, vintage and exotic vehicles will be held on West 135th between Lenox and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard.
"Harlem Day is the largest day of Harlem Week," said Nobles. "It is the day that started Harlem Week. There will be four stages of entertainment, live radio broadcasting, the Upper Manhattan Auto show and international performances that speak to the importance of celebrating our diversity."
The day will also include a tribute to the victims of 9/11.
Aug. 27 is the Hon. Percy Sutton Harlem 5k Run and NYC Walk for the Health of the Children of Haiti. The event will help to raise money for the Harlem Healthy Eating and Living Initiative.
"With these events, we hope to showcase all of what Harlem is about," Nobles said.
For a full listing of events, visit the Harlem Week website.
July 18, 2011 5:51pm | By Jeff Mays, DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
HARLEM — Khalid Baylor wasn't planning to be a firefighter, but eight years ago he was looking for a career change when a black firefighter handed him an application for the New York City Fire Department at the Harlem Day Parade.
"I was just out in the crowd and I saw this black firefighter who gave me an application and encouraged me to apply," said Baylor, a Harlem resident.
He then went a step beyond. He made copies of the application and handed them out to his friends. Eight years later, Baylor, is an example of both the success and difficulties of recruiting minorities to the largest firefighting force in the country.
None of his friends followed through with the fire department application, but today, Baylor is a firefighter with Engine 35/ Ladder 14 on East 124th Street and Third Avenue. He is also one of the faces of the FDNY's efforts to diversify its ranks, appearing on a new FDNY ad campaign with his 11-year-old son Khalid.
"What I have seen is that a lot of community residents don't know about the job opportunities with the fire department," Baylor said.
April 14, 2011 10:35amcommentshareprint
By Jeff Mays
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
HARLEM — The quilts were stitched a world apart, but they bear out similarities in Russian and African-American culture.
A new exhibit opening in June called "Pieced Together. Russia Meets Harlem. Patchwork & Quilts," will display quilts from Russian artists and African-American artists side-by-side in a bid to show how the similarities outweigh the differences.
"People from two nations so far apart were able to express themselves with the same material," said MarinaKovalyov, president of the Russian American Foundation, which organized the exhibit.
"The best opportunity for people to learn about one another is the arts," said Kovalyov. "And this art comes from the roots of both cultures."
Kovalyov was very familiar with Russian quilts, but was so impressed by the similarities when she was introduced to the African-American quilting tradition that she thought others might be equally fascinated. The techniques used to create the quilts are similar and they often depict important images from each culture.
Scholars already believe that there was artistic crossover between the writers of the Harlem Renaissance, such as Alaine Locke and Jean Toomer, and the writings of Russian authors including Fyodor Dostoyevsky, who often wrote about Russian peasant culture and political oppression and persecution.
The African-American quilts depict Jazz and life in Harlem while the Russian quilts show images of Russia and some of that country's fairy tales. Both often show day-to-day life.
Laura Gadson, owner of The Gadson Gallery in Harlem and co-curator of the exhibit, is herself a quilter.
"This is about two cultures coming together but having similarities," she said. "You have historically different communities whom you wouldn't necessarily think of as creating similar art."
But in researching the Russian quilts, Gadson said she saw the similarities in the bright textiles used. And like African-American artists, quilting was more than just a utilitarian practice. It helped artists to express themselves.
"The story subjects of the Harlem quilters tend to have African influences while the story quilts from Russia have mythical and children's stories. We both go back and tell cultural stories," said Gadson who hopes to exhibit one of her works.
The exhibit will be displayed at the National Arts Club from June 23 to June 30 as part of the Russian American Foundation's ninth annual Russian Heritage Festival. The group was founded 13 years ago to foster an understanding of Russian heritage in the United States and American culture in the former Soviet Union.
From there, Kovalyov hopes for the exhibit to travel the country.
"We are hoping for people to learn more about both cultures," she said. "This exhibit is the weaving together of one cultural fabric”
By Jeff Mays, DNAinfo.com
Follow Jeff on Twitter @JeffCMays
