Welcome To My Global Hood

How does one create a blueprint for urban environmental activism through art that appeals to inner-city youth? The blueprint for achieving that goal was successfully realized and accomplished by Oakland, California artist, Milton Bowens in his 2009 Artist in Residency Program, Arts Change.

Can environmental justice and fine art work together to empower youth, community, and the world abroad? This is simply one of the questions posed and eventually answered during Bowens' Artist Residency. The success of the program was based on Bowens being an attentive listener in his conversations with the youth and through that listening he found the ingredients to map out a story line that would lead to the blueprint for his urban environmental artist activism that led to Welcome To My Global Hood.

As a result of being a part of this program, a group of 15 inner-city youth were motivated and excited about creating art and being a part of a global movement towards environmental change. They were empowered and the tangible outcome was the creation of a body of work by both Bowens and his students that spoke to the issue of environmental justice and the creative use of fine art as an effective tool for change through activism. Testimonies from a number of the students will appear on YouTube...stay tuned for that release.

An on line catalogue was produced for Welcome To My Global Hood and will be featured on http://www.milton510.com/, www.facebook.com/milton510bowens, and http://www.artschange.org/.

Listen to EPISODE 14 - Go Green Sangha Radio-"Art and Environmental Justice" with artist Milton Bowens: http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/21325

© 2009 Black Art Project... all rights reserved. For permission to reproduce contact: blackartproject@comcast.net.

The Black Exhibit

The Black Artists of DC (BADC) and the District of Columbia Arts Center (DCAC) are sponsoring a juried art exhibition, The Black Exhibit, beginning November 20, 2009 through January 10, 2010. The description, as outlined by the sponsors, offers many opportunities for creativity, activism, or simply afford participating artists an opportunity to be a part of an exhibit that will embrace, celebrate, and document the Black experience.

According to the promotional material, artists are asked to "reach deep into the emotional, theoretical, spiritual, cultural, intellectual, or physical aspects of blackness. The objective is not the absence of colors; it's the predominance and use of the color black in your creations. Relish in the concept and color of black...its elegance, depth, and dizzying sensation of infinity... ."

For details that include submission guidelines, fees, deadline; delivery of materials; notification of selected artists; delivery of work to DCAC Gallery; and other particulars, see images above.

Visit the DCAC at the following address: http://www.dcartscenter.org/

Validate Yourself...Question 8

This is a continuation, part 8, of the series of questions posed by the Black Artists of DC (BADC). In the art world how does one authenticate works of art?

The easiest way to establish authenticity is to buy directly from the artist or make purchases from a reputable and established gallery that is proven to be the representative of that artist. A current practice with limited editions is to secure a letter of authenticity that often comes with the purchase. If purchasing directly from the artist or a gallery, you should expect a contract for the sale of art work. This full receipt with date of purchase, title of work with brief description that includes medium, cost and artist’s signature will serve as documentation. Feel comfortable to write any personal descriptive notes, in pencil, that you deem necessary on the back of this contract; these dated personal notes along with the actual contract will create the beginning of the provenance of the work.
For posterity, some collectors even have a photograph of themselves with the artist and artwork to show their connection to the artist. Beyond having a work authenticated by the artist, one has to rely on the gallery or have authenticity validated by a personal property appraiser with a specialization in African American art. Be very clear on this matter…the specialist needs his/her credentials in personal property appraisal with a focus on African American art/artists.
© 2009 Black Art Project... all rights reserved. For permission to reproduce contact: blackartproject@comcast.net.

Don Griffin Selected for Rauschenberg Tribute Exhibition

Don Griffin, Baltimore artist with Washington, DC roots, has been notified that his work, "Port Arthur," was selected for inclusion in the upcoming Rauschenberg Tribute Exhibition. The exhibition will be on view in the Dunn Gallery at the Museum of the Gulf Coast in Port Arthur, Texas from August 30, 2009 to October 22, 2009.Please View Announcement at Link Below :http://www.comzee.com/RauschenbergTributeDonGriffinAnnouncement.html

In a discussion, with Don regarding the competition, I posed two questions to him. What was your intent as you prepared the piece for competition? Share with me any feelings or words about the piece and/or the competition.

Don's responses follow: "When I first heard that Rauschenberg had passed, I was very sorry to hear it. He was probably my favorite artist. I believe I own 3 books on him. In the 1990's I was working on assemblages from time to time when I wasn't painting. There was a need for works in 2D & 3D that compelled me to seek a solution where in I could do both disciplines. I was moving out of my soft sculpture period, which was my primary method for making statements in art.

During this period, I was represented by HENRI GALLERY in Washington, DC. Henri had an Avant Garde stable of artists, and they worked in the sculpture field. I didn't realize at the time I was also creating sculpture, until she enlightened me! When she passed in 1996, I was left to start all over again in the search of new representation. This also was a turning point leading out of soft sculpture exclusively. About this time, I began working with assemblages in wood. Not too long afterwards, I began incorporating elements of soft sculpture with the assemblages.

One day I visited a Book Store in Towson, Maryland to browse though the art books section. I came across a book on Rauschenberg, whom I had not been aware of, and discovered he was working in a similar manner, which he described as combines. I was totally in shock! I skimmed through the book for a while and left. The book was like haunting me to go back and purchase it. The $75 price tag was the evil that kept me from going back. I later lost the fight, and purchased my first $75 Art Book! Ever since that time, I have been a fan.

When hearing about the loss of Rauschenberg, I almost immediately began thinking about creating a piece in homage to him. Nothing was evident at the time, so it slipped in the recess of my mind. Then one day as I looked at art calls, I discovered a competition that was being organized by the Gulf Coast Museum in Port Arthur, Texas. I told my friend Diana about it, and how I would like to be a participant. I mean, how could I not be included in this exhibition? I told her. This is my arena, this is what I do. Its the perfect time to create that piece that I consider reflective of the artist I admired so much.

I determined after some time that the piece would contain card board as an element in the piece. This size gave me a problem, because I wanted it to be larger than the criteria dictated. Later, I put the size issue behind me and stretched a 37"x 48" canvas. Diana assisted me in locating a collection of boxes from various sources for the composition which was developing.

Elements were being collected which I considered connective to Rauschenberg. He thought a lot of the newspaper. So, there would be evidence of it somewhere in the composition. I settled on a hot topic at the time...The Automakers. Then there was the Presidential Photo Strip I created with the First Black President, some controversials such as Bill Clinton, Richard Nixon, Bush Jr, etc. A reverse positive photo of Rauschenberg with a bicycle, and a reverse positive of a cow. It has always intrigued me the way farm animals reacted when approached. In unison, they all stop and turn their heads to look at you...like what's up?

The card board element had a real need to be in Port Arthur. Many various type boxes were collected for this purpose, and I think the one that most said Rauschenberg for me...was the kid. I wanted the top layer of the card board and it was not particularly easy to separate it from the corrugated section. It was a very physical struggle to do it, especially for the hands and the effects of discomfort traveled to my back."

I appreciate that Don agreed to allow me to share his experience with you.

© 2009 Black Art Project... all rights reserved. For permission to reproduce contact: blackartproject@comcast.net.