IAM

(Incorporation of Artists on the Move, Inc.)

"Everyone Has a Talent and the Future Lies Within"

            Harlem, New York June 30, 2006 - (IAM) Incorporation of Artists on the Move, Inc. in their continued recognition and celebration of visual artists is presenting a special JVC Jazz Festival event - Jazz Textures - from June 21st-August 31st at Taller Boricua Gallery (106 th Street/East Harlem), Countee Cullen Library (136 th Street/Central Harlem), Citibank Financial Center (144 th Street/Central Harlem), the Manhattan Borough President Art Gallery located at City Hall (lower Manhattan), and a special youth exhibition at The Harlem USA Complex (below Magic Johnson Theatre at 124 th St.) in Central Harlem. The event kicks off with a gala reception, on Friday, July 14 th 6:00 PM at Taller Boricua Gallery located in East Harlem at 1680 Lexington Avenue (at 106 th Street).

Now in its 6 th year and growing, the exhibition will feature the work of over eighty U.S. emerging and established visual artists that will include acclaimed artist Michael Singletary, whose work has appeared in numerous Spike Lee movies, the Cosby Show, among others, sculptor, printmaker, painter, James Sepyo and Otto Neals whose careers span over thirty years and Neals along with the late great Jacob Lawrence is one of the founders of the Fulton Arts Festival in Brooklyn, mixed media artists Rene Hinds and Jeremiah Drake, legendary photographer Chuck Stewart, who for more than 5 decades has documented the history of jazz through his lens,   quilt artists, Michael Cummings, Linda Friedman Schmidt, who takes old clothing and weaves "something new out of something old,"   Dindga McCannon, Dr. Carolyn L. Mazloomi, Myrah Brown Green, Bisa Butler of Women of Color Quilters Network, Inc), noted artists Ademola Olugebefola, Emmett Wigglesworth, Betty Blayton Taylor (co-founder of the Children's Art Carnival), Ann Tanksley, Joan Chiverton, and others.

Recognizing the lack of support for visual artists and their works on jazz, artist and curator Gwendolyn Black created the exhibition and special events, and is assisted by Anderson Pilgrim, guest curator, to encourage the jazz community to recognize and appreciate works on jazz by visual artists.   This year's exhibition features a special display of quilts, which gives a textured representation of jazz music.   "There are many styles of jazz ranging from bebop, cool jazz, to swing, and through the many paintings, mixed media works, photographs, and quilts you can hear, see, and feel the texture of the music," states curator Gwendolyn Black. "As a jazz enthusiasts, every year I become more and more excited to see the many works on jazz by so many visual artists from around the world.   This exhibition is very important because it tells a visual story of jazz through so many wonderful creative expressions.  

Many artists such as Ademola Olugebefola, Chuck Stewart, Norman Messiah, and photographer Kwame Braithwaite have spent a lifetime of preserving jazz music through their work.   It is important that the community has an opportunity to see the magnitude and beauty of so many works dedicated to jazz, states Black."

Throughout the months of July and August, upcoming planned special events include a panel discussion and performance "Swing, Bebop, to Hip Hop," "Jazz on a Summer Afternoon," and "Mood Indigo: An Evening of Jazz, Poetry, and Art, a Youth Art Exhibition on display at the Harlem USA Complex @ 124 th Street, 2 nd Floor (below Magic Johnson Theatre), featuring the artwork on jazz (dedicated to renown visual artist Romare Bearden and jazz great pianist Count Basie) by students from PS 76, a special awards recognition and reception at Manhattan Borough President Art Gallery in August and other planned events at each gallery.

This exhibition is sponsored in part by WABC-TV, K&R Realty Mgmt. Inc., Go No Fee.com, JP Morgan Chase, Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone, Senator David Patterson, Former Councilman Bill Perkins, Citibank (@144 th Street), West Harlem Assistance Group, Taller Boricua Gallery, CitySights NY, and Harlem USA.

IAM (Incorporation of Artists on the Move, Inc.) was founded in the early 1990's by a group of artists who saw the need to create their own opportunities for cultural and artistic expression.   For more information call 212/665-5313 or visit iamarts.org or e:mail: blackgwendolyn@hotmail.com