Union Square Award

"Gon' take a walk down to Union Square/ Never know what you gonna find there"

-Lou Reed ("run, run, run")

In recognition of our work in the struggle for social justice, Reconstruct Art has been nominated for a Union Square Award!

The Union Square Awards were started in '98 when a mysterious, anonymous donor pledged funds to raise awareness of emerging, grassroots organizations that support the interests of the poor and disenfranchised and cultural activity/the arts. Reconstruct Art, of course, serves both interests. Learn more about the awards here.

Side Note:

Why "union square"? Think about all the agitating, protesting and cultural activities that go on there every day (somewhere between the dog park and the artist/vendors and the greenmarket and the skateboarders/breakdancers). "What you gon' find there" may now be Forever 21 and Starbucks, but the spirit of the place is still somehow intact.

Graffiti Party: chicken, beer and spray paint

Come out on Friday, May 14, for a hot art party presented by Cultural Collective and Reconstruct Art.

We're combining the weekly "Breaking Bread" meetup hosted by Cultural Collective with a New Orleans fundraiser and Reconstruct Art's housewarming party (new space= 90-30 161st Street @ Jamaica Ave.) for one giant art bash.

We're already offering art workshops to local kids and teens out of our new digs. This summer, we'll be taking it to the streets of New Orleans, with 2 months of graffiti murals and self-discovery art projects. The $ you drop at the party will make it all possible.

We'll have a DJ, live graffiti by local writers, arts n' crafts areas, spoken word and poetry performances, beer and unlimited hot wings. $10 cover benefits our work in New Orleans.

Can't make it? Drop a donation here

Baking for Good

Buy delicious cookies and brownies, benefit Reconstruct Art. Welcome to Baking for Good, a local mail order bakery that donates a percentage of its profits to a variety of nonprofits. During checkout, the buyer can choose the nonprofit their money will go to.

Check it out here and forward the link to your pals: http://bakingforgood.com/causes/nonprofit/reconstruct-art-inc

multicultural arts at Bessie and Nora's Place

Reconstruct Art has begun providing multicultural art classes for the preschool students at Bessie and Nora's Place in Jamaica, Queens.

Even though they are very young, the kids are incredibly focused, patient and creative, and have been making exotic art projects like djembe drums (West Africa) and paper fans (Japan).

After making art using collage, painting, stamping etc., the students listen to traditional music from the culture we're featuring, and then drum, dance or sing along. Stay tuned for more photos!

Photos

Check out photos from Reconstruct Art's studio here. The studio is located upstairs from Chashama Gallery in Jamaica, Queens, at 90-26 161st Street (@ jamiaca ave). The gallery also has affordable studio space available to local artists (contact samglewis@gmail.com if you're interested in renting).

Dean Richards: Hip Hop Surreal

Be sure to swing by Chashama's Jamaica Gallery (90-26 161 st. @ Jamaica Ave.) to check out "Off the Beaten Path", a collection of new works by Dean Richards.

Dean creates fantastic paintings that, through clever and confident use of line weight, are full of movement and mass. His creative process is also very interesting; he brings the street into the gallery by actually scraping off pieces of paste-up posters and bills (with a knife or ice scraper!), pasting them into thick layers on his canvas, and then painting over this surface. This painstaking process gives his paintings a texture, soul and authenticity that are seldom seen in the superficial posturing of mainstream contemporary gallery work.

The opening, March 19 from 7-10 pm, will feature music, food and drinks, and a chance to meet the artist and socialize in a fun, open atmosphere.

Event details here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=325373368804

More of Dean Richards' work here: http://www.rhythminlines.com/

Gearing up for Mardi Gras

We're well under way with preparations for the Mardi Gras fundraiser at Wonderland in Astoria. We are happy to be partnered with a cool artists' collective that exemplifies community, idealism and resourceful living/working. Check them out at www.wonderlandny.com

Monday night found us hot gluing, glittering gessoing, and mutilating vintage garments to prepare for the fashion portion of the party ("think Parlaiment Funkadelic, carnivale, and Rocky Horror"), whilst enjoying wine, pizza and football-shaped cookies.

Pictured:

Danielle Williams, Wiliam Mwazi and Judy Warren (left)

Babatunde Ajiboye (right)