FRAMING AIDS 2008 Art Exhibition
November 30 – December 22
Hosted at Queens Museum of Art: Community Gallery
(NYC Building, Flushing Meadows, Corona Park)
Fourth annual showcase in observance of World AIDS Awareness in December. This year's selection was inspired by the idea that joy and laughter are essential aspects of life, and that happiness and a positive attitude can help people overcome some of hardships of living with HIV/AIDS.
Life-altering events and situations encourage people to discover themselves, to find their inner strengths and weaknesses. Self-knowledge is the first step towards developing self-acceptance, self-love, self-awareness, and eventually happiness. True healing goes beyond treating the body to include this spiritual component.
Participating artists have utilized a diverse range of mediums and aesthetic strategies to motivate us to explore happiness, illness, and inner strength in relation to the AIDS pandemic. From the concrete to the abstract, from the corporeal to the spiritual, the selected works demonstrate that often simple acts such as praying to a patron saint, putting on a makeup, looking at a reflection in the water, or wearing a favorite garment can lift up the spirit and evoke the triumph of human determination over HIV/AIDS.
This exhibition was curated by Ada Cintron. Download Curatorial Statement
Participant artists: Gema Alava, Melisa Anderson, Niccolo Cataldi, Donna Clovis, Vladimir Cybil, Domenick Di Pietrantonio, Kentaro Fujioka, Sonya Gropman, Mimi Kim, Quin Liu, Sofia Maldonado, Antonio Ortuño, Christian Pietrapiana, Prawech Pranaprom, Anita Ragusa. Amanda Riner, Ryan Rivera, Jorge Rojas, Nancy Rokoczy, Ari Tabei, Nicole Tammelleo, Randy West, James Woodward, Ho Young Yang, Seong Il Yoon.
OPENING RECEPTION – Sunday, Nov. 30, 3:00 PM
Featuring Local Spoken Word Poets:
Emanuel Xavier, author of the poetry collections Pier Queen and Americano, the novel Christlike, and editor of Bullets and Butterflies: queer spoken word poetry and Mariposas: A Modern Anthology of Queer Latino Poetry. He has been featured on Russell Simmons presents Def Poetry on HBO and selected finalists for Best Gay Erotica 2008.
La Bruja is a poet, Hip Hop/Reggaeton artist, and activist. Since her auspicious spoken-word debut at the famed Nuyorican Poet's Cafe in 1996, Bronx born and raised, Caridad De La Luz, aka La Bruja, has appeared on HBO's Russell Simmons Def Poetry Jam and performed internationally at dozens venues.
Simply Rob is a spoken word artist, actor and photographer. He was born and raised in NY of Salvadorian and Greek descent. Roberto Esteban Vassilarakis has been writing and performing his poetry since 2003.
Electronic Music by Costanza and B_CO.ME.
Costanza Francavilla is a multidisciplinary artist born in Italy who creates visionary and minimalist electronic compositions with sensual vocals , provocative lyrics, hypnotic beats and tripnotic melodies. She has collaborated with TRICKY, and composed music for C.S.I, the LWORD, movies and TV ads.
CLOSING EVENT - Sunday, Dec. 21, 5:00 PM
Performance by Ari Tabei, and Panel Discussion with guest artists and ACQC representatives.
Ari Tabei, born and raised in Tokyo, is a Video and Performance Artist who studied in the United States and has presented her work in important exhibitions. She will perform one of her pieces, on display, from the series Dress for Today.
