Tag: Cre8tive YouTH*ink

You Gotta Be in It to Win It

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Mista Oh! is pleased to announce cre8tive YouTH*ink’s selection as a local partner by The Alliance for Artists and Writers to host tours and raise awareness of The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Below is a slide show of some of this year’s Gold medal winners. 

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Images courtesy of the Artist and The Alliance for Artists & Writers.

Teens in grades 7 through 12 apply in 30 categories of art and writing for the chance to earn scholarships and have their works exhibited or published on a national stage. This award recognizes boasts a noteworthy roster of past winners, including Andy Warhol, Sylvia Plath, Truman Capote, Richard Avedon, Robert Redford, Joyce Carol Oates, and great friend of the Gallery Club – Tom Otterness.

This year, the Alliance has selected cre8tive YouTH*ink to bring the program to our local communities. To that end, on Tuesday June 14, 2011, Los Galeristas Adolescentes will host school group tours of the ART.WRITE.NOW. National Exhibition from 12:00-4:00pm (see the calendar of events here).

Cre8tive YouTH*ink interns will host student groups on a guided tour of work submitted for the competition by their same-age peers. Our guides will explain how the Alliance supports young artists and writers, and explain how kids can apply for next year’s competition. Then they’ll lead a fun hands-on activity.

Mista Oh! hopes that cre8tive YouTH*ink’s involvement with the Alliance will serve to to also raise awareness of the problems that contribute to low reading levels throughout our public-school system. We’re ready to help inner-city kids to prepare their own entries for next year’s competition.

Cre8tive YouTH*ink hosted and led group tours will be held on Tuesday June 14 from 12noon – 4pm. Tours are currently booked to capacity. To schedule a different group visit of the exhibition, please contact Nora Gomez at ngomez@artandwriting.org.

The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards
ART.WRITE.NOW. National Exhibition
World Financial Center Courtyard Gallery
220 Vesey Street New York, NY
Click here to view map and find directions

One Love – Mista Oh!

“This is Our Revenge”: Tim Rollins and K.O.S.

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Mista Oh!, Nibor, and cre8tive YouTH*ink’s Nick Frizalone met up with Tim Rollins, K.O.S. member Angel Abreu, and Tang Curator Ian Berry at an exhibition of new work at the Lehmann Maupin Gallery.

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In the early ’80s, Rollins began to encourage his students to read through the exploration and making of art. A group of them eventually become known as the Kids of Survival (K.O.S.).  Already tracked into special education programs, and written off by the school system, the Kids of Survival challenged the status quo, and, working with Rollins, created new possibilities and a new cultural and social currency for themselves – defiantly proclaiming “this is our revenge.”

During our walk-through of the exhibition with Tom, Angel, and Ian, we talked about the significance of creating  structures where there can be no failure – starting from scratch – including K.O.S. making their own paint. The biggest tool an artist has in the studio, as Tim put it, is the garbage can.

We learned about the various metaphors in K.O.S.’ work – the collaborative process being like a pick-up basketball game – The Tang’s role as teaching museum and its focus on unique artist stories that have yet to be told, and  Ian’s perspective and role as the curator.

When I started my first SPARK BklynArts after-school mural project, I thought about how and why people come to art, and very specifically, about Tim Rollins and the Kids of Survival whose work with marginalized kids, was inspiring. Imagine then, how  super-pleased I was to discover that K.O.S. members are still actively involved with each other, collaborating on new work.

It made me think of Monique, Tashonna, and Tineal – who just yesterday returned to the fold, signing up as cre8tive YouTH*ink interns, giggling endlessly over the possibilities with me, as we plotted our next adventure. Maybe we’re on to something!

All photos by Mista Oh! – courtesy the artist and Lehmann Maupin Gallery

One Love – Mista Oh!