The Little

WALL\THERAPY 2017 in Full Swing

WALL\THERAPY 2017 in Full Swing

Despite some unpredictable Rochester weather this week, the 2017 WALL\THERAPY artists have been creating murals throughout the city, all with a theme of arts and activism. As in past years, our summer festival brings frenzied activity, companionable group dinners, floodlighted night painting sessions, and many laughs, but our focus is always the important work of inspiring our community. This year’s local and visiting artists are keenly focused on completing murals that highlight causes close to heart and honor human beacons that shed an inspiring light on our world’s current complexities.

Locally born but Brooklyn-based artist Aubrey Roemer is working toward completion of a three-story, mixed-media mural. With a vibrant green base, its focus is a woman holding a child with multiple figures looking over her, surrounded by painted, paper, and found-object flora. It serves as an examination of family and environmentalism.

936 Exchange Street – Photo by Mark Deff

WT17_MD_7.2_aubrey__DSC0086

Rochester-based artist Sarah C. Rutherford joins WALL\THERAPY for the second time with a mural honoring Trelawney McCoy, an adoptive, foster, and biological mother to nine children. The mural is part of her series, “Her Voice Carries,” a mural project capturing the unique stories of five women who live and work in various communities in Rochester. Upon completion, this will be the second outdoor mural in the series.

548 West Main Street – Photo by Mark Deff

WT17_MD_7.2_SarahRutherford__DSC0056

For the first time, WALL\THERAPY is partnering with Roc Paint Division, the city of Rochester’s youth mural program. At age 17, Etana Brown, Nzinga Muhammed, and Kaori-Mei Stephens are the youngest ever WALL\THERAPY artists. Their mural features self portraits atop an azure blue background, alongside protest signs that underscore the work’s exploration of racial diversity within the Black community, asserting that all Black Lives Matter.

285 Clarissa Street – Photo by Lisa Barker

wt17_LB_727_rocpaint-12

Visiting artist Jess X Snow is creating a portrait of transgender poet Chrysanthemum Tran at the Kaleidoscope Collective next to Aubrey Roemer’s wall. In the artist’s own words, the poet is featured as the Earth in a queer cosmos of her own gender and naming.

936 Exchange Street – Photo by Josh Saunders

WT17_JS_7.27_JessXSnow-18516

Lucinda Yrene (La Morena)’s work-in-progress is a portrait of her daughter holding a burning sage smudge stick, with hopes for a cleansing, healing effect on the world, on a bright purple background. On the far right of the mural, a flying white owl is taking shape.

1112 East Main Street – Photo by Mark Deff

WT17_MD_7.26_Lucinda_FT6A0035

Todd Stahl is a teacher at Webster Thomas High School in Rochester and has some of his students assisting him. His mural is inspired by the Syrian refugee crisis, and features a portrait of a Syrian girl surrounded by symbolic representations of her life left behind and the road ahead. Todd worked with Syrian documentary photographer Manar Bilal, who gave him permission to source his images for the mural.

59 Pennsylvania Avenue – Photo by Mark Deff

WT17_MD_7.26_ToddStahl_FT6A0031

Ian Kuali’i brings his unique, detailed technique of handcutting paper while adhered to the wall’s surface to WALL\THERAPY 2017. His work features spiritual, empowering images, and we excitedly await his mural’s unveiling, cut by cut.

40 Greenleaf Street – Photo by Jason Wilder

wt_JW_727_ian-3

Finally, Sean 9 Lugo hit town mid-week and began to lay down a series of wheatpaste murals weaving throughout the city that tell a story of Olivia, a raccoon, and a turtle, and their quest to heal the world around them. More to come as we watch the story unfold.

++++++

EVENTS THIS WEEK!

Also coming this week are two special events that align with this year’s goal of deepening our engagement within Rochester’s communities.

WT17_Arts-Activism-banner_600px

Arts & Activism, the Inaugural WALL\THERAPY Conference

The Little Theatre, 240 East Avenue
July 29, 2017, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Arts and Activism, the inaugural WALL\THERAPY conference, will explore the intersection of social change, community activism, and creative practice, initiating a critical dialogue between participating artists, organizers, scholars, and the local community of Rochester.

The keynote talk will be delivered by Dr. Jessica Pabón-Colón, Assistant Professor for Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at SUNY New Paltz. Based on the framework of her upcoming book “Graffiti Grrlz: Performing Feminism in the Hip Hop Diaspora” she will examine how contemporary street and graffiti art movements have responded critically to the demands of the creative neoliberal city, offering examples to provoke thought on the relationship between aesthetics and politics.

Featuring:
+ Spotlight: Her Voice Carries

+ Panel Discussion: Art and Social Change at Times of Crisis

+ Spotlight: O+ Festival

+ Panel Discussion: Education and Empowerment: Enabling the Voice of the next Generation

+ Project room featuring representatives from WALL\THERAPY, O+ Festival, WXXI, The Ghandi Institute, the New York Civil Liberties Union, Refugees Helping Refugees, Flying Squirrel Community Space, and the Visual Studies Workshop.

The event is free for all to attend; we hope you will join us for a day of discussion!

WT_BlockParty_DaniellePonder_600px

WALL\THERAPY Block Party
Kaleidoscope Collective, 936 Exchange Street
July 29, 2017, 6:30 – 10 p.m.

Come celebrate art, music and community! WALL\THERAPY and Kaleidoscope Collective will host a summertime celebration for WALL\THERAPY supporters featuring Danielle Ponder and the Tomorrow People! We’ll also be officially revealing murals by Aubrey Roemer and Jess X Snow. We will have an open air artist market, food trucks, live art, and music to make you groove.

ARTIST MARKET LINEUP
1. FUA Crew
2. Kasim Wallace Creations
3. Bless the Messy
4. The Exchange Art Space featuring artists: Lizz DeSimone, Rachel Farley, Allie Push, Haley Wehner and Reb Lomoto
5. Aubrey Roemer
6. Shawnee Hill
7. Custom Crown Craftworks
8. Heather Swenson
9. Wholistic Herbals
10. JDB-R Art

Admission is simply donate what you can. No one turned away for lack of funds. Donations go directly to support WALL\THERAPY.

Danielle Ponder and the Tomorrow People will be going on around 8:30pm.

PLEASE NOTE!!!
There is a small parking lot behind the building and very limited on-street parking, so we HIGHLY recommend carpooling or biking!

No one under 16 can be permitted without a parent or guardian

Please be respectful of the neighborhood, we want to be great guests!

+++
Mural by Brittany Williams, 2015.
Danielle Ponder photo by Jocelyn Mesiti.

 

Announcing our 2017 Events

2017 EVENTS

WT_2017events_feature_710px

Announcing our 2017 Special Events!

First off, the mural making has already begun! Sarah C. Rutherford and Aubrey Roemer have begun working on the murals a little early, and you can start to see their progress at the following locations!

Sarah C. Rutherford
Working at:
548 W. Main St.
Rochester, NY 14608


Aubrey Roemer

Working at:
936 Exchange St., Building A,
Rochester, NY 14608

 

Follow Aubrey’s Instagram and Facebook Page for updates about how YOU can participate in the creation of her mural!

Locations for our other artists will be announced Friday! Artists will begin arriving Friday and painting over the weekend.

+++

In our efforts to make WALL\THERAPY even better than in past years, we’ll be hosting two special events during the festival. We are working to deepen our engagement with Rochester’s communities through new programming intended to connect Rochester residents of all ages and all walks of life. This year, we’ll also be launching our inaugural conference focusing on Arts and Activism on July 29th followed by a Block Party at the newly launching Kaleidoscope Collective Community Center featuring a performance by Danielle Ponder and the Tomorrow People!

 

 

WT17_Arts-Activism-banner_600px

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!!!

The Little Theatre
240 East Ave (in Little 1)

July 29, 2017, 10am-3pm

Arts & Activism, the inaugural WALL\THERAPY conference, will explore the intersection of social change, community activism, and creative practice, initiating a critical dialogue between participating artists, organizers, scholars, and the local community of Rochester.

The keynote talk (10:30am) will be delivered by Dr. Jessica Pabón-Colón, Assistant Professor for Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at SUNY New Paltz. Based on the framework of her upcoming book “Graffiti Grrlz: Performing Feminism in the Hip Hop Diaspora” she will examine how contemporary street and graffiti art movements have responded critically to the demands of the creative neoliberal city, offering examples to provoke thought on the relationship between aesthetics and politics.

Schedule of Events
10:30am – Keynote by Dr. Jessica Pabón-Colón

11:30am – Project Spotlight: Sarah C. Rutherford and Her Voice Carries

12:15pm – Panel Discussion: Art and Social Change at Times of Crisis

1:30pm – Project Spotlight: O+ Festival

1:50pm – Panel Discussion: Education and Empowerment: Enabling the Voice of the next Generation

Our Project Room (also in Little 1) will feature representatives from WALL\THERAPY, O+ Festival, WXXI, The Ghandi Institute, and more to be announced.

Light refreshments will be served during breaks courtesy of Hart’s Local Grocers!

The conference is free for all to attend; we hope you will join us for a day of discussion!

*Times are approximate, and participants subject to change.

 

WT_BlockParty_DaniellePonder_600px

Block Party with Danielle Ponder& The Tomorrow People!

Kaleidoscope Collective
936 Exchange St., Building A, Rochester, NY 14608

Come celebrate art, music and community! WALL\THERAPY and Kaleidoscope Collective are excited to host a wrapup summertime Block Party featuring Danielle Ponder and the Tomorrow People! With an open air artist market, food trucks, beverage service, live art and music to make you groove, this Block Party is not to be missed!

Admission is simply donate what you can! No one will be turned away for lack of funds. Donations go directly to support creating more WALL\THERAPY murals in Rochester. Come down and check out the newest spot in town and support the arts!

Danielle Ponder and the Tomorrow People will be going on around 8:30pm.

PLEASE NOTE!!!
There is a small parking lot behind the building and very limited on-street parking, so we HIGHLY recommend carpooling or biking! Please also be respectful of the neighborhood! We want to be the best guests possible!

+++
Mural by Brittany Williams, 2015.
Danielle Ponder photo by Jocelyn Mesiti.

+++


WT17generosity_lastupdte

WALL\THERAPY still needs your help!

We are down to the wire, and we still need your help! Please take a moment to check out our campaign!

We’ve got a lot of great perks, from WALL\THERAPY gear to Rochester-centric perks to original artwork. We’re also adding more perks as others sell out, so keep checking back throughout our fundraiser!

Your continued support will allow us to support the local and international artists as they produce visually compelling murals in the Rochester cityscape, in turn improving and strengthening our thriving community.

Please visit our fundraiser to learn more!
https://www.generosity.com/community-fundraising/wall-therapy-2017-fundraiser/x/290103

+++