“The Tigress,” by Dominican artist MIlka Montero. It is one of the many works at the upcoming “Art of Solitude” exhibition. Photo courtesy of ART BreakOUT
Aug. 27, 2024 By Shane O’Brien
ART BreakOUT, a platform for artists from underrepresented backgrounds, will host a month-long exhibition at the Local NY next month, showcasing dozens of marginalized and predominately self-taught artists.
“The Art of Solitude” will run at the Local NY, located at 13-02 44th Ave. in Long Island City, from Sep. 10 until Oct. 6, featuring works in a variety of styles from more than two dozen artists from different cultures, geographies and generations.
The exhibition, co-curated by ART BreakOUT co-founders Lois Stavsky and Bonnie Astor, deals with the theme of solitude and how it is undervalued by modern-day society.
“There’s been all this emphasis on community, community, community,” Stavsky said. “I felt that solitude was undervalued and I wanted to see how people perceived it.”
The exhibition features a maximum of two works per artist, with some pieces displaying a figurative interpretation of solitude and others taking a more abstract approach.
Photo courtesy of ART BreakOUT
Among the highlights of the exhibition are Jackson Heights-based artists Issa Ibrahim’s endearing landscape of a solitary man, Fountain House Gallery artist Susan Spangenberg’s depiction of a lone cat rendered by upcycled fabrics and a deftly-fashioned feline by the Dominican artist Milka Montero.
Stavsky noted that the exhibition includes works by artists from a non-traditional background, including young children, developmentally disabled people and people with mental health conditions.
She spoke of the importance of highlighting artists from underrepresented backgrounds, stating that she is excited about giving artists who work on the margins of the art community an opportunity to shine.
“Artists who are represented in more traditional settings have a lot of resources that these artists don’t have,” Stavsky said. “They may be living on a trust fund or have partners to promote them. Many of the artists [taking part in the Art of Solitude] don’t have those advantages.”
Photo courtesy of ART BreakOUT
The Art of Solitude exhibition will launch with an opening reception on Tuesday, Sep. 10, from 6-8 p.m., with the exhibition available on a 24/7 basis thereafter.
Some of the artists will be on hand at various times throughout the exhibition to explain their pieces, Stavsky said.
While the exhibition champions the notion of solitude over community, Stavsky hopes that members of the local LIC community will come out and support the dozens of artists showcased in the event.
“I would love for the community to engage with this exhibition, but I also want people to value the notion of solitude.
“I like the idea that people who don’t necessarily go to galleries get to see the art.”
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