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.
Tank You Sir. for your generous words and helping a west coast Cat, get the info out on the east coast and abroad !!! much needed and highly appreciated, thanks again Milton 510
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