Bronx Masquerade brings together ten emerging Bronx artists who reveal the true stories of young people in Bronx.
The exhibition borrows its title from the book of the same name by Nikki Grimes. It presents a montage of artistic voices concerned with the uncertain position of youth. Their work focuses on today’s youth and their struggle to define their own identity, and to find a place where they truly belong, as part of a generation confronted by the challenging realities of our economy. Like the high school students/protagonists of the book, the artists in this exhibit express the emotions concealed by fashion and style – beneath the skin, behind the eyes, beyond the masquerade.
The artists communicate what lay hidden by the mask of everyday life, – this generation’s sincerity, drive and passion. Like the poetry recitals that tae place in the book during “Open Mike Friday”, the artwork in the exhibition exemplifies the desire and need to relate individual experience to those things that we share in common. The artists explore a wide range of energies, dreams and fears; their photographs, paintings, and works on paper convincingly convey the depth of these emotions.
Artists in the exhibition: Melissa A Calderon, Xavier Figueroa, Isabel Figueroa, Edwin Gonzalez, Glendalys Medina, Amy Pryor, Elle Perez, Tiana Markova-Gold, Lisa Napier, Ruben Natal-San Miguel, Jay Paavonpera
Bronx Masquerade is the part of the series Boro to Boro: Artists in Libraries that has been curated by Yulia Tikhonova, Brooklyn House of Kulture in conjunction with the New York Public Library network.
Bronx Masquerade Exhibition
Curated by Yulia Tikhonova
March 10 – April 10, 2012
Opening reception Saturday, March 10th
from 02:30 p.m. – 04:30 p.m.
Artists talk from 3:00 p.m. – 04:30 p.m.
Bronx Library Center
310 East Kingsbridge Road
Bronx, NY 10458