Multidisciplinary gallery show to benefit arts and culture revitalization in Liberia

Multidisciplinary gallery show to benefit arts and culture revitalization inLiberia

New York - Over 25 contemporary Artists from New York city and beyond are showing together in support of a project called Visions of Hope that will promote community activism, cultural revitalization, and youth particpation in the arts to transform Harper, a war torn town in the most desolate and isolated region of Liberia. Christina Mallie, a Curator and arts educator in New York City, and Laurie Reyman, a social worker currently working in Harper with an international NGO, have joined forces to direct this project which will mark a turning point in the

physical and psychological landscape of Harper.

The show is a two day affair at the Lower East Side Gallery Culturefix.  On Saturday December 11th, the event will include performances by several renowned artists, including Elisa Jimenez, an

innovative designer and artist who will perfrom live couture fashion designs on the spot to be auctioned off, and poet, novelist and playwright Steven Cannon who will play music and recite poetry. At the same time works by fine artists will be on display for silent auction. Later entertainment will be provided by performace artist Alex Kaliber, and New York bands Sontag Shogun and Liam Singer.

On Sunday, December 12th from 12 to 4pm, sculptor Joy Moreale will lead a collborative stone carving of a a giant eye - representative of

the many artists who are coming together to support the creative activism of Visions of Hope.

Founded in September 2010, Visions of Hope is a public arts initiative

which will take place in Harper, Liberia from January through May 2011. Harper is located in the most isolated and underdeveloped region of Liberia, where every third or fourth building is a burnt out structure that looks exactly as it did when the fourteen-year civil war finally ended in 2003. During the five months of the project, a local arts council will be created and fifty-six youth from eight public schools in Harper will convene to design and paint four themed murals. We will mobilize to transform the

war torn landscape, unchanged from Liberia's civil war, into one which expresses hope and the future of Liberia through the creation of the murals.

To find out more visit:

http://www.creativevisions.org/projects/visions-of-hope.html

CultureFix 9 Clinton Street, New York City www.culture-fixny.com

Saturday Dec 11th 6pm-12am

Sunday Dec 12th 12pm-4pm