For the tenth year, Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership is proud to present its annual Black Artstory Month arts series. Democracy’s Body will be a month-long series with visual art exhibition along Myrtle Avenue and events in Fort Greene, curated by Bre’Lynn Lombard of UnJaded Curations. The series is made possible with support from Tankhouse.
STOREFRONT EXHIBITION
The Democracy’s Body visual exhibition of works will be up throughout February 2022 in storefront windows along Myrtle Avenue in Fort Greene & Clinton Hill, between Fort Greene Park & Classon Avenue.
“In Us We Trust” by Mz. Icar at Peck’s, 455A Myrtle
This year’s show is a constellation of jubilant, imaginative works by eight contemporary artists. Set as a mural walk, the artwork honors the liberating power that Black womxn’s intersecting identities afford them and their communities. From curator, Bre’Lynn Lombard:
“Through the process of Black radical reimagination, artists shift the narrative of “democratic” principles from being held by governmental structures to the people these structures can’t live without. Featured artists call audiences back to the essence of the Greek word; demos, meaning “the people” and kratia, meaning “power, rule.”
“The works on display illustrate a world where Black womxn are honored for their natural ability to create democratic spaces by simply being human. In a nation state that is founded on the relentless powers of race, patriarchy, class and socio-economic status; Black womxn defining their own beauty standards, being one with and cultivating their land, and being authentic to their creative practices and processes, create a world in which all people -who share in any one of these intersecting identities- have room to simply be themselves.”
Click to enlarge.
EVENTS
Presentation & Discussion Saturday, February 19, 2-5pm We are the Original: Womanist Craftivist Poetry & Collage Making Ingersoll Community Center, 177 Myrtle Avenue Presented by the Myrtle Avenue Senior Advisory Council and Cirri.
Live Stream Discussion Saturday, February 26, 2022, 3-4pm
Gold Fronts: Celebrating the Influence and Agency of Black womxn in Visual Storytelling Hosted and co-presented by BRIC Arts Media. Virtual. RSVP HERE
Black Artstory Month is an annual series that elevates and celebrates this neighborhood’s long-standing history as a haven for Black artistry, with past themes including Brooklyn style, healing, notions of home, and remembering. This cycle’s thematic focus was developed by Daonne Huff, who co-created Black Artstory Month with Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership in 2013. Check out past programs here.
The Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership is excited to launch the 10th anniversary of Black Artstory Month in February 2022, with the release of a call for artists!
Freedom Band mural by Aston Agbomenou, Black Arstory Month 2016
UnJaded Curations and the Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnerships seek artists to feature in the 2022 Black Artstory Month program in 2022. This year’s theme, Reframing Democracy: (Re) Imagining the Position and Voice of American Democracy, honors the trailblazing power of Black womxn’s intersecting identities.
This year’s theme will invite viewers and participants to answer the following questions:
How have Black womxn challenged democracy as an American principle?
How does nationalizing Black womxn’s humanity reimagine and reconstruct American democracy?
Selected artists will install murals on or display finished works in storefront windows and will receive an honorarium for their work. Artists able to complete large scale mural work and those with influences of anime’ style illustrations will be strongly considered.
Artists who identify with all gender constructs and non- gender conforming artists are encouraged to apply. All applications are due October 15, 2021 at 11:59pm. Please be sure to complete the application in its entirety.
Black Artstory Month is an annual series that celebrates the contributions that African Americans have made and are making within the visual and performing arts world. Coinciding with Black History Month, the annual month-long arts program will feature window murals and events in Fort Greene & Clinton Hill.
Acknowledgments
“Reframing Democracy: (Re) Imagining the Position and Voice of American Democracy” theme created by curator Bre’lynn Lombard of UnJaded Curations.
“The love of the family, the love of one person can heal. It heals the scars left by a larger society. A massive, powerful society.” – Maya Angelou
“Love, this time” is an art exploration of how love can liberate, heal, and (re)unite us. 2020 was no different from prior years as the crises of institutional and systemic racism, inequality and injustice continued. However, the COVID-19 pandemic led to restrictions which varied based on who and where you were, and glaring inequities of healthcare and to sudden changes in people’s lifestyles.
Protect Black Trans Women by Steven Mosley. Black Artstory Month 2021
One thing that surfaced through this was love as we cared from our friends and ourselves, reconnected with old friends, applauded frontline workers daily and continued outpouring of warmth to those close to us and to complete strangers. Through a series of visual art installations, viewers will accompany artists exploring the various manifestations of love. The community shall carry the individual further along in life and in healing than the individual can carry themselves.
Love is an intentional act of sharing.
“Love, this time” is rooted in community as the place where we can be liberated, healed, united and reunited.
Enjoy FREE installations, and digital interventions that celebrate the legacy of Black creativity and the power of love created by Black artists and activists in Fort Greene & Clinton Hill.
AT A GLANCE
Art Installations
LOVE, THIS TIME
Check out this series of art installations across Myrtle Avenue, on view all month at various locations.
1.- The Spot by Voodo Fé, 572 Myrtle Ave, Love Wino by Voodo Fé
2.- Soketah, 564 Myrtle, Commitment by Olayinka Salami
2.- Soketah, 564 Myrtle, Young George Floyd by Sophia Dawson
3.- Pratt Institute Film/Video, 550 Myrtle, Forever Caring by Brandon Foushee
4.- SoCo, 509 Myrtle Ave, What Blossoms by Ashley Crawford
5.- [salon]718, 456 Myrtle Ave, Love As Healing by Tiffany Baker
6.- Pecks, 455A Myrtle Ave, Protect Black Trans Women by Steven Mosely
7.- Sandbox, 417 Myrtle Ave, Scaffold: Equtiy of Treatment by Elan Cadiz
8.- Salon Rhed, 374 Myrtle Ave, Lesson #356 by Mz. Icar Collective
9.- LOCALS BKNY, 332 Myrtle Ave, Save Our Girls by Amarachi Crystal
Other ways to participate in Black Artstory Month 2021:
LISTEN to the “Love, this time” playlist (available on Spotify) Curated by curator Atiba T. Edwards.
SHARE We invite you share and spread the word in yous socail media usung the #Blackartstory #MyrtleAve and by tagging us @Myrtleavebklyn
About Black Artstory Month
The title for Black Artstory Month 2021, “Love, this time” is an art exploration of how love can liberate, heal, and (re)uniteus. Black Artstory Month is an annual series that elevates and celebrates this neighborhood’s long-standing history as a haven for Black artistry, with past themes including Brooklyn style, healing, notions of home, and remembering. This cycle’s thematic focus was developed by Daonne Huff, who co-created Black Artstory Month with Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership in 2013. Check out past programs here.
Acknowledgments
“Love, this time” exhibit and theme, created by curator Atiba Edwards.
Poster design and promotional graphics by Kevin Adams.
Participating Artists:
Pratt Institute School of Art, The Black Alumni of Pratt, Steven Mosley, Voodo Fe, Olayinka Salami, Shopia Dawson, Brandon Foushee, Ashley Crawford, Tiffany Baker, Elan Cadiz, Mz. Icar Collective and Amarachi Crystal.
This Black History Month, we’re celebrating the rich legacy of Black Artistry in Fort Greene by partnering with contemporary artists on events and exhibitions. And we’re paying homage to those local artists who came before us, including author Richard Wright.
Richard Wright lived just off Myrtle Avenue on Carlton Avenue in Fort Greene in the 1930s when he was writing his most prolific novel, Native Son. To mark Wright’s days in the neighborhood, we’re spearheading a campaign to co-name Carlton Avenue, between Myrtle and Willoughby, Richard Wright Way.
We’re excited to report that the co-naming proposal has begun the process for approval, gaining support from a number of local partners and organizations. The Carlton-Willoughby Block Association, Majority Leader Laurie A. Cumbo, and Brooklyn Community Board 2’s Transportation Committee have all stepped forward to support the proposal. Additionally, residents of the block have signed a petition in support, and we invite you to sign as well!
Born in Mississippi in 1908, Wright was the son of sharecroppers and grandson of formerly enslaved persons. Joining six million other African Americans, Wright and his family fled the Jim Crow south and migrated north in the early 20th century. Before moving into 175 Carlton Avenue, Wright had lived in Memphis, Chicago and Harlem. In 1938, Wright moved to Fort Greene and worked on the draft of his latest novel, which would become Native Son. Wright spent most of his days during his short stay in Fort Greene writing the book at his apartment, in Fort Greene Park and at the Walt Whitman Library (which was then called the City Park branch). On March 1, 1940, Native Son was published and within the first month sold over 215,000. The quick success was largely due to the fact that it was a Book of the Month Club selection, the first book written by a Black author picked by the national club. Since 1940, the novel has seen countless reprints, in many languages, and continues to shape conversation about being Black in America.
WHY A STREET CO-NAMING?
Many of Fort Greene and Clinton Hill’s street grid and local landmarks carry the names of past residents. The vast majority of those memorialized with named spaces are from the 18th or 19th century and mark men with European ancestry. However, as the neighborhood has developed over the past 400 years, it has been home to people and communities who trace their roots all over the world, largely Europe, Africa, and the Caribbean. We believe local public spaces should tell a more complete story of the neighborhood’s social history and have begun a campaign to honor more individuals who’ve shaped our community. This includes an effort to co-name streets after people of color and women. Stay tuned for more!
NEXT STEPS
An honorary street co-naming in New York City is enacted and approved by the NYC City Council. The Richard Wright co-naming is slated to go before council in June. Prior to that, it’ll be presented to the full community board in March.
SOME WORDS born in this neighborhood have changed the world.
Enjoy FREE events, programs, installations, and digital interventions that celebrate the legacy of Black creativity and the power of words created by Black artists and activists in Fort Greene & Clinton Hill.
AT A GLANCE
There are many ways to participate in Black Artstory Month 2020:
Fort Greene and Clinton Hill have long-held space for Black artists and activists that creatively and courageously wielded their words in pursuit of a higher cause. In the 1890s, civil rights activist and journalist Ida B. Wells relocated to nearby Gold Street, being mentored by Brooklyn’s own Dr. Susan McKinney, where she continued her mission to share SOME WORDS on the necessity of civil, suffrage and anti-lynching rights for Blacks in the U.S that sparked political awareness and upheavals. In the 1930s from a park bench in Fort Greene, Richard Wright wrote SOME WORDS that redirected conversations about systemic racism. Starting in the 1950s, Little Anthony and the Imperials sung SOME WORDS that inspired countless generations of musicians after to remake and remix them. Throughout the 1990s native young sons and daughters from Black Star to Biggie Smalls to Lil’ Kim spit SOME WORDS on street corners, rising to fame, changing the game, and inspiring generations to follow.
Black Artstory Month 2020 is honoring that legacy while thinking critically about SOME WORDS in our present and future.
At a time when 150 characters or less can make some feel powerful and equally others feel powerless, we challenge you to use your words. Speak them, shout them, chant then, write them, print them, tag them, sing them, share them with us. But whatever you do, don’t bite your tongue.
Section 1
Events & Programs
SOME WORDS will include programs for all ages, from art installations, to oral history shares/collections, to children’s storytime, to film screenings, to salon-style dialogues. For updates throughout the month, follow @myrtleavebklyn on Facebook and Instagram.
Feb 1 11am | Children’s Story Time Readings by a local children’s book author Chana Ginelle Ewing, in partnership with Greenlight Bookstore at Pipsqueak Shoppe, 471 Myrtle Avenue | RSVP HERE
Feb 4 3pm – 5pm | Film Screening 42: The Jackie Robinson Story, at the Walt Whitman Library Branch, 93 St. Edwards Street
Feb 6 6:30pm | CYPHER: Black in America A salon-style session using Hip Hop as a springboard to discuss issues and ideas in the realm of social justice, wellness and culture. Curated by FOKUS. At Locals, 332 Myrtle Avenue | RSVP HERE
Feb 7 7pm-9pm | SHARE! SOME WORDS Performances, poems, and stories reflecting on what words need to be shared in our dynamic and challenging times, curated by the Intergenerational Community Arts Council (for all ages). At the Ingersoll Community Center, 177 Myrtle Avenue RSVP HERE
Feb 11 3pm-5pm | Film Screening Do The Right Thing, at the Walt Whitman Library Branch, 93 St. Edwards Street
Feb 21 11am-1pm | Future Historical Society This multi-generational collective of Fort Greene neighbors leads this interactive storytelling and history-collecting installation, at Fort Greene SNAP, 324 Myrtle Avenue. The Future Historical Society is a community storytelling project commissioned by BRIC.
Feb 21 7pm | OUR WORDS Performances, installation and video projection combine to create space for Black LGBTSTGNC stories curated by ourselves. Produced by Acacia Rodriguez in partnership with the Audre Lorde Project. At Bldg92 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, 63 Flushing Avenue | RSVP HERE
Feb 22 2pm-4pm | “As Told” / “We Live Here” Community elders provide a different kind of history lesson by discussing their contributions to these two published collections of local histories – As Told and We Live Here – in this panel as part of BRIC’s Stoop Share program, at BRIC, 647 Fulton Street.
Feb 28 6:30pm | CLOSING WORDS All are invited to our closing reception to celebrate, build community, and meet the month’s participating artists. Featuring artworks by Steven Mosley and Jose Baez, music, and spoken word performances, at Putnam’s, 419 Myrtle Avenue (lower level) | RSVP HERE
Various dates + locations | COMMUNICAE: THE AVE This traveling performance program will visit barbershops and salons throughout the month to celebrate African Americans who call Myrtle their living room. Presented by Tai Allen.
Section 2
Art Installations
1,000 Words
Check out this series of art installations across Myrtle Avenue, on view all month at various locations. Download the map of installations.
Pratt Film Building, 548 Myrtle Ave, Long Live, Magic by Devin Alexander
Wray’s Caribbean Seafood, 503 Myrtle, The Birth of Hip Hop by Johnny Camacho
Vitality Health & Wellness Bar, 471B Myrtle Ave, Word Up!!! by D. Cross the Artist
Putnam’s Pub (lower level), 419 Myrtle Ave, CTA: Call to Action by Steven Mosley and Jose Baez
Brooklyn Sweet Spot Brooklyn, 366 Myrtle Ave, Mural by Lavan Wright & an Installation by LeRoy McCarthy
Salon Rhed, 374 Myrtle Ave, A Positive Social Ad by FOKUS
GMACC, 349 Myrtle Ave, A Positive Social Ad by FOKUS
Ray’s Barber Shop, 331 Myrtle Ave, A Positive Social Ad by FOKUS
The title for Black Artstory Month 2020 is inspired by Audre Lorde’s poemCoal. Myrtle Avenue’s Black Artstory Month is an annual series, begun in 2013, that elevates and celebrates this neighborhood’s long-standing history as a haven for Black artistry, with past themes including Brooklyn style, healing, notions of home, and remembering.
Acknowledgments
This cycle’s thematic focus was developed by Daonne Huff, who co-created Black Artstory Month with Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership in 2013.
This cycle’s programs were curated in partnership with the Black Artstory Month 2020 Advisory Committee: Daonne Huff (The Studio Museum in Harlem), LeRoy McCarthy (local cultural advocate), Carol Thomas (Just Because Salon), Mutale Kanyanta (Locals), Synyah Jordan (local student).
Poster design and promotional graphics by Senary Autumn.
Author Richard Wright, who lived in Fort Greene in the late 1930s while writing Native Son.
To gain more recognition of author Richard Wright’s legacy in Fort Greene, we’re proposing the co-naming of Carlton Avenue in Wright’s honor. This campaign is part of SOME WORDS, Myrtle Avenue’s Black Artstory Month series in February 2020 that celebrates the legacy of Black artists and activists in Fort Greene & Clinton Hill whose words changed the world.
Richard Wright lived at 175 Carlton Ave, between Myrtle and Willoughby avenues, in 1938 when he was writing his most famous novel, Native Son. Wright’s “protest novel” garnered him international attention, made him one of the wealthiest Black authors of his time, and sold over 215,000 copies within its first three weeks on sale, largely in part to being the first book written by a Black American to be selected for the Book-of-the-Month Club list.[i] Literary critic Irving Howe easily summarized the book’s importance by saying, “the day Native Son appeared, American culture was changed forever.”[ii]
The co-naming would bring greater visibility to his former ties to the neighborhood and increase the representation of influential African Americans within Fort Greene’s public space.
[i] Mitgang, Herbert. “Books of the Times; An American Master and New Discoveries.” The New York Times 1 January 1992. Accessed on 8 January 2020.
[ii] Howe, Irving. “Black Boys and Native Sons: On Wright, Ellison, and Bladwin.” DISSENT, Autumn 1963.
IamaMan, by Steven Mosley from Black Artstory Month 2013
Call for Ideas, Artworks, Partners:
SOME WORDS: BLACK ARTSTORY MONTH 2020
SOME WORDS born in this neighborhood have changed the world.
In the 1890s, civil rights activist and journalist Ida B. Wells relocated to nearby Gold Street, being mentored by Brooklyn’s own Dr. Susan McKinney, where she continued her mission to share SOME WORDS on the necessity of civil, suffrage and anti-lynching rights for Blacks in the U.S that sparked political awareness and upheavals. In the 1930s from a park bench in Fort Greene, Richard Wright wrote SOME WORDS that redirected conversations about systemic racism. Starting in the 1950s, Little Anthony and the Imperials sung SOME WORDSthat inspired countless generations of musicians after to remake and remix them. Throughout the 1990s native young sons and daughters from Black Star to Biggie Smalls to Lil’ Kim spit SOME WORDS on street corners, rising to fame, changing the game, and inspiring generations to follow. Already a prolific writer on Black culture, Nelson George put SOME WORDS to screen in 2011 to visually manifest a Black creative Brooklyn Boheme scene nurtured right here in Fort Greene.
Entire histories are created and carried by SOME WORDS, even if they are not always written. SOME WORDS carry lineages, memories, and traditions via oral histories sitting around fires, in a quilting circle, at barbershops or salons, or standing on a street corner. Throughout history, there are moments when writing, speaking, or singing SOME WORDS was an act of transgression that became an act of rebellion that became a signal of freedom of possibility of self-possession. Fort Greene and Clinton Hill have long-held space for Black artists that have creatively and courageously wielded their words in pursuit of this higher cause. Black Artstory Month 2020 is honoring that legacy while thinking critically about SOME WORDS in our present and future.
At a time when 150 characters or less can make some feel powerful and equally others feel powerless, we challenge you to use your words. Speak them, shout them, chant then, write them, print them, tag them, sing them, share them with us. But whatever you do, don’t bite your tongue.
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: Program, Event & Partnerships Ideas
Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership is seeking ideas, artworks and curatorial partners to build a series of free arts & culture programs to take place in February 2020 on or near Myrtle Avenue in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill, Brooklyn. Potential venues and locations include small businesses, construction fences, storefront windows, event spaces, galleries, and more. In the recent past, Black Artstory Month has included events on four Friday evenings. This year, we’re interested in two Friday events (possibly opening and closing), and we are open to other event timeslots and formats throughout the month. The ideas below are meant to inspire and serve as a guide. We welcome submissions that can be presented digitally, in installation, as an event or any combination of all these.
Poetry salon
A DJ’d vinyl night playing a curated selection of local artists past and present
Playlists featuring local musicians past and present
Social media posts featuring text, quotes, poems by Black writers past and present
Oral history stations within businesses along the avenue that visitors can listen to/download
A marathon reading of the works of an author
A panel conversation with graffiti writers about transforming words into visual abstracted statements
A curated reading list featuring local Black poets and writers
A cold read night of in-progress plays or screenplays of aspiring filmmakers/playwrights
Acapella performances in public spaces
Poetry printed and displayed on fences or storefronts
Exhibits of artworks inspired by or incorporating words (textiles, paintings, prints, photography, Concrete Poetry)
TO SUBMIT
Send a brief description of your digital/installation/event proposal to blackartstorymonth@myrtleavenue.org. Discuss how it connects to the curatorial theme, include participating or featured artists and partners, and describe artworks (existing or new) in detail (medium, size, text). Please describe your preferred venue(s), if proposing an installation or event. Include a short budget that includes estimated expenses associated with your proposal, including curatorial fees, artists fees, materials, equipment rentals, de/installation costs, printing, etc. Photos are welcome. The total production budget for Black Artstory Month 2020 is $4,000, which will support 4-6 projects/events. Deadline for the submission of ideas is November 20, 2019.
ABOUT BLACK ARTSTORY MONTH
The title for Black Artstory Month 2020, Some Words, is inspired by Audre Lorde’s poem Coal, Black Artstory Month is an annual series that elevates and celebrates this neighborhood’s long-standing history as a haven for Black artistry, with past themes including Brooklyn style, healing, notions of home, and remembering. This cycle’s thematic focus was developed by Daonne Huff, who co-created Black Artstory Month with Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership in 2013. Check out past programs here. Many thanks to the Black Artstory Month 2020 Advisory Committee: Daonne Huff (Studio Museum Harlem), LeRoy McCarthy (local cultural advocate), Mutale Kanyanta (Locals), (additional members to be announced).
Freedom Band mural by Ashton Agbomenou, Black Arstory Month 2016
IamaMan, by Steven Mosley from Black Artstory Month 2013
Call for Ideas, Artworks, Partners: SOME WORDS: BLACK ARTSTORY MONTH 2020
SOME WORDS born in this neighborhood have changed the world.
In the 1890s, civil rights activist and journalist Ida B. Wells relocated to nearby Gold Street, being mentored by Brooklyn’s own Dr. Susan McKinney, where she continued her mission to share SOME WORDS on the necessity of civil, suffrage and anti-lynching rights for Blacks in the U.S that sparked political awareness and upheavals. In the 1930s from a park bench in Fort Greene, Richard Wright wrote SOME WORDS that redirected conversations about systemic racism. Starting in the 1950s, Little Anthony and the Imperials sung SOME WORDSthat inspired countless generations of musicians after to remake and remix them. Throughout the 1990s native young sons and daughters from Black Star to Biggie Smalls to Lil’ Kim spit SOME WORDS on street corners, rising to fame, changing the game, and inspiring generations to follow. Already a prolific writer on Black culture, Nelson George put SOME WORDS to screen in 2011 to visually manifest a Black creative Brooklyn Boheme scene nurtured right here in Fort Greene.
Entire histories are created and carried by SOME WORDS, even if they are not always written. SOME WORDS carry lineages, memories, and traditions via oral histories sitting around fires, in a quilting circle, at barbershops or salons, or standing on a street corner. Throughout history, there are moments when writing, speaking, or singing SOME WORDS was an act of transgression that became an act of rebellion that became a signal of freedom of possibility of self-possession. Fort Greene and Clinton Hill have long-held space for Black artists that have creatively and courageously wielded their words in pursuit of this higher cause. Black Artstory Month 2020 is honoring that legacy while thinking critically about SOME WORDS in our present and future.
At a time when 150 characters or less can make some feel powerful and equally others feel powerless, we challenge you to use your words. Speak them, shout them, chant then, write them, print them, tag them, sing them, share them with us. But whatever you do, don’t bite your tongue.
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: Program, Event & Partnerships Ideas
Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership is seeking ideas, artworks and curatorial partners to build a series of free arts & culture programs to take place in February 2020 on or near Myrtle Avenue in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill, Brooklyn. Potential venues and locations include small businesses, construction fences, storefront windows, event spaces, galleries, and more. In the recent past, Black Artstory Month has included events on four Friday evenings. This year, we’re interested in two Friday events (possibly opening and closing), and we are open to other event timeslots and formats throughout the month. The ideas below are meant to inspire and serve as a guide. We welcome submissions that can be presented digitally, in installation, as an event or any combination of all these.
Poetry salon
A DJ’d vinyl night playing a curated selection of local artists past and present
Playlists featuring local musicians past and present
Social media posts featuring text, quotes, poems by Black writers past and present
Oral history stations within businesses along the avenue that visitors can listen to/download
A marathon reading of the works of an author
A panel conversation with graffiti writers about transforming words into visual abstracted statements
A curated reading list featuring local Black poets and writers
A cold read night of in-progress plays or screenplays of aspiring filmmakers/playwrights
Acapella performances in public spaces
Poetry printed and displayed on fences or storefronts
Exhibits of artworks inspired by or incorporating words (textiles, paintings, prints, photography, Concrete Poetry)
TO SUBMIT
Send a brief description of your digital/installation/event proposal to blackartstorymonth@myrtleavenue.org. Discuss how it connects to the curatorial theme, include participating or featured artists and partners, and describe artworks (existing or new) in detail (medium, size, text). Please describe your preferred venue(s), if proposing an installation or event. Include a short budget that includes estimated expenses associated with your proposal, including curatorial fees, artists fees, materials, equipment rentals, de/installation costs, printing, etc. Photos are welcome. The total production budget for Black Artstory Month 2020 is $4,000, which will support 4-6 projects/events. Deadline for the submission of ideas is November 20, 2019.
ABOUT BLACK ARTSTORY MONTH
The title for Black Artstory Month 2020, Some Words, is inspired by Audre Lorde’s poem Coal, Black Artstory Month is an annual series that elevates and celebrates this neighborhood’s long-standing history as a haven for Black artistry, with past themes including Brooklyn style, healing, notions of home, and remembering. This cycle’s thematic focus was developed by Daonne Huff, who co-created Black Artstory Month with Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership in 2013. Check out past programs here.
Many thanks to the Black Artstory Month 2020 Advisory Committee: Daonne Huff (Studio Museum Harlem), LeRoy McCarthy (local cultural advocate), Carol Thomas (Just Because Salon), Synyah Jordan (youth member), and Mutale Kanyanta (Locals Market) (additional members to be announced).
Freedom Band mural by Ashton Agbomenou, Black Arstory Month 2016
Brooklyn style and fashion bring the history of Black Brooklyn front and center, providing the artistic and historic material to speak on the past, present, and future. This theme will be explored through art-based events held each Friday in February from 7-10pm.
Feb 8 | Drink & Draw at The Emerson BYO sketch pads, pencils, etc., we’ll provide the drawing inspiration: models styled by Charles Johnson and Naana Badu. Beats by Frei. Drawings will be selected from the audience for an exhibition being curated live and installed in The Emerson that will stay up till March 8th.
Feb 15 | Exhibition at Putnam’s
Feb 22 | Fashion Presentation + Closing at 47 Hall
Myrtle Avenue Black Artstory Month is an annual series that celebrates the contributions that African Americans have made and are making within the visual and performing arts world. Every year the Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership partners with local artists and arts organizations to present the month-long celebration, and activate the main street with public art & FREE cultural programming. This year, Myrtle Avenue is working with Black Gotham Experience (BGX) an immersive multimedia project that celebrates the impact of the African Diaspora on New York City with walking tours, a photography-based graphic novel series, and events.
We are fortunate to live in a neighborhood that continually seeks to engage residents and visitors alike through events, community initiatives and even art! While there are some prominently displayed murals and sculptures along Myrtle Avenue, you may not know that some of these installations have been created in our neighborhood by internationally renowned and sometimes locally trained artists. Let’s take a look at some of the art and artists that have helped make Fort Greene and Clinton Hill come to life recently.
Ingersoll Cornerstone Community Center mural, by Groundswell Mural Project
177 Myrtle Avenue
You’ve probably heard Groundswell Community Mural Project. They have hundreds of murals found across all 5 boroughs and in New Jersey. One of their latest works can be seen at the Ingersoll Cornerstone Community Center. This colorful mural depicts neighborhood life and history through bright colors and a bold creative vision.
Adorn Me, by artist Tands Francis at Fort Greene Park
Fort Greene Park at the corner of Myrtle Avenue and Washington Park
A new sculpture is coming to Fort Greene Park by way of Brooklyn artist Tanda Francis. Titled, Adorn Me, this sculpture seeks to bring an African presence to a public space in order to highlight the under-representation of African artworks in public spaces. Adorn Me will be on view in the park from 2018 – 2019.
Fort Greene Mural
340 Myrtle Avenue and Carlton
Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership commissioned this mural by artist Mischa Tyutyunik bring life to a blank wall and express neighborhood pride. Artist Tyutyunik, also known as MDOT, is a Ukranian born artist that studied at nearby Pratt Institute.
I Ought To installation by Matthew Gellar
550 Myrtle Ave btw Emerson Place & Steuben Street
The innovation and practicality of this Matthew Gellar’s, I Ought To, creates a fun moment and brief respite within the Myrtle Avenue Plaza. Part sculpture, water feature (when it rains) and seating area, this permanent installation pays reference to traditional stained glass. Stop there to take in the beauty, or your lunch.
And while some of these murals and sculptures are new to Myrtle Avenue, many have been here for years, surrounding us at all times. And there are plenty more to experience, if you know where to seek them out.
The Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership collaborates with community partners to bring Arts and Culture programs to Myrtle Avenue. These programs increase access to art for the entire community, create opportunities for both emerging and established artists, and invite visitors to enjoy cultural experiences in the district. Arts and Culture initiatives are supported in part by the Myrtle Avenue BID and the Tess & Tom Schutte Community Arts & Culture fund.
Myrtle Avenue will continue to be an open-air art gallery with the announcement of a new public art piece coming to Fort Greene this summer. NYC Parks has announced the installation of “Adorn Me”, a new temporary piece at the entrance of Fort Greene Park, at the corner of Myrtle Avenue and Washington Park.
A sculpture by Brooklyn-based artist Tanda Francis will be unveiled this June in a space that has become home to a number of temporary public art installations over the past decade. The piece is one of 10 temporary installations being installed in public parks throughout the city this year as part of the “Art in the Parks: UNIQLO Park Expressions Grant” program. This initiative, which began last year, “builds on NYC Parks’ equity initiatives by bringing public art exhibits to parks in need of cultural programming,” according to NYC Park’s website.
Local partners participated with NYC Parks and UNIQLO in selecting pieces for installation at specific sites. The Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership was thrilled to be part of this process again, along with fellow local partner Fort Greene Park Conservancy, in advocating for “Adorn Me” to be placed on Myrtle Avenue.
About the Artwork
From NYC Park’s website: “Tanda Francis’ work examines the African presence in public space as a powerful force of beauty and cultural relevance. Inspired by African sculptural tradition, including Ife portraiture, Francis also incorporates Victorian and colonial ornamentation into her work. Adorn Me will address the underrepresentation of this demographic in public artworks, and provide a healing message during a time of heated debate over monuments erected as symbols of oppression and control.”
To learn more about Tanda Francis, click here. For more information about the “Art in the Parks: UNIQLO Park Expressions Grant” program, click here.
Enjoy strolling the streets of Fort Greene and Clinton Hill while you learn about the area’s rich Black arts history through a self-guided walking tour. The Myrtle Avenue Black Artstory Tour is available as a podcast to download from any mobile device.
This walking tour explore’s the neighborhood’s rich history as a home to many famous and influential Black artists. While there are countless local artists who lead incredible lives and merit attention, this tour focuses on eight different individuals who helped define the neighborhood’s lasting legacy as an enclave for Black artists.
Click here to view the tour route map and a list of artists included in the tour.
The tour is part of the Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership’s annual Myrtle Avenue Black Artstory Month, held each February to locally celebrate Black History Month. This self-guided tour is also part of the Partnership’s larger walking tour series, which includes guided historic walks through the Wallabout neighborhood. View the events calendar to find more details and to register for an upcoming Wallabout Historic Walking Tour in September or October.
Join us for Merry on Myrtle. We’re hosting our very first holiday event in the new Myrtle Avenue Plaza on Saturday, December 16th, from 12pm to 3pm. Join us!
FREE activities include:
Musical duo singing holiday music
A kissing photo booth complete with mistletoe
Ice sculpting live demo (12-2pm)
Holiday crafting (1-3pm)
Hot chocolate!
The Myrtle Avenue Plaza is located on Myrtle between Steuben and Emerson.
For more info contact (718) 230-1689 ext 3# or email hello@myrtleavenue.org.
Clinton Hill and Fort Greene are notorious for staging the biggest, the best, and more fun Halloween celebrations. This year is no exception, with many annual favorites returning and a few new events on the calendar, too. Scroll below to find a full round-up of events happening on and around Myrtle Avenue during the week of Halloween.
Saturday, October 28
Great PUPkin Dog Costume Contest
Enjoy one of the most adorable events in NYC by attending the 19th annual Great Pupkin Dog Costume Contest in Fort Greene Park. View 100+ dogs in the cutest, most creative costumes you’ve ever seen (human or canine). The parade kicks off at 11:30am. For more info, click here.
Fort Greene Park Halloween Festival
Now in its 17th year, the annual festival in the park will be loaded with fun activities for kids and adults. enjoy face painting, rides, crafts, games, live music, a pumpkin patch, and more. Enjoy the fest from 12-3pm on the south lawn, along DeKalb between Washington Park and S. Portland. For full details, visit the Fort Greene Park Conservancy’s website.
Trilok School Halloween Festival
Trilok School will host its annual Halloween festival at the corner of Myrtle Avenue and Waverly Ave on Saturday from 1-7pm. Lots of fun activities for the little ones, including pony rides, a bouncy castle, face painting, a costume parade, and more! Click here for more information.
Tuesday, October 31
Thriller on Myrtle Avenue Dance Party
RESCHEDULED TO TUESDAY, OCT 31 FROM 4-6PM. Bust a move in the Myrtle Avenue Plaza during a fun community dance party. To kick things off, everyone is invited to participate in a choreographed dance inspired by Michael Jackson’s Thriller. Learn the dance ahead of time by watching the choreography video here, or come to the plaza at noon for a run through with AbunDance. Stick around after the Thriller dance for a free-style dance party, face painting, and giveaways from Blick Art Materials. Full event information is available here.
Clinton Hill Halloween Walk
The 24th annual neighborhood walk, sponsored by the Society for Clinton Hill, will take place on Halloween night, beginning at 5:30pm. Pick up a map of locations along the walk at Myrtle Avenue retailers, including Sandbox Pack & Ship, Peck’s, and Apple Bank. Or visit their website.
Halloween 313
Enjoy one of the most popular Halloween spectacles in Brooklyn at 313 Clinton Ave. Since 1994, The Halloween Lady has been putting on a show at this beautiful Clinton Hill mansion for local families to enjoy. This year’s show will feature zombies, monsters, voodoo and more! The show runs from 5-9pm on Halloween, with performances every 30 minutes. Find more details here.
Trick or Treat
For the little ones looking to show off their costumes – and collect some goodies on the way – local trick or treating will take place on Halloween. For tips on how to stay safe while having a good time, please review these helpful reminders from Councilmember Laurie A. Cumbo.
The fifth annual Myrtle Avenue Black Artstory month has come to a close, but you can continue to learn about and celebrate the neighborhood’s Black arts history year-round. Stroll the streets of Fort Greene and Clinton Hill while learning about the area’s rich Black arts history through a self-guided walking tour. The Myrtle Avenue Black Artstory Tour is available as a podcast to download or can be listened to from any mobile device here.
Famous jazz trombonist Slide Hampton, writer Richard Wright, hip-hop group Digable Planets, photographer Wesley Fagan, are just a few of the names from this tour that highlights a diverse set of artist mediums. While there are countless local artists who led incredible lives and merit attention, this tour focuses on eight different individuals who helped define the neighborhood’s lasting legacy as an enclave for Black artists.
Click here to view the tour route map and a list of artists included in the tour, or to listen to all or portions of the tour.
The tour is part of the Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership’s annual Myrtle Avenue Black Artstory Month, held each February to locally celebrate Black History Month. This self-guided tour is also part of the Partnership’s larger walking tour series, which includes guided historic walks through the Wallabout neighborhood. View the events calendar to find more details and to register for an upcoming Wallabout Historic Walking Tour, held from May through October each year.
We are proud to present the 5th Annual Black Artstory Month, THE ALTAR: RITUALS OF HEALING IN THE AFRICAN DIASPORA, February 1-28. Our month-long event series and Artwalk explores the vital role and traditions around healing, restoration, and realignment in African Diasporic communities. FREE events take place every Friday evening and include everything from dance performances, visual art and live exhibitions to film screenings and poetry readings. Featuring the work of over 30 Brooklyn-based visual artists, the Artwalk & happenings take place at venues along Myrtle Avenue including Ingersoll Community Center, Leisure Life NYC, Pillow Cafe-Lounge, Pratt Institute and the Brooklyn Navy Yard’s BLDG 92 among others.
SCHEDULE OF FREE FRIDAY EVENTS KICK-OFF EVENTwith videos by BRIC | interactive art, dance & video
“The Altar” Kickoff Celebration co-presented by FOKUS Date: Friday, Feb 3, 6-9pm Location: Ingersoll Community Center, 177 Myrtle Avenue, Brooklyn
Healing & Self-Preservation as Resistance | film, video & performance presented by Present Futures Date: Friday, Feb 10, 7-9pm Location: Pratt Institute Film/Video Department, 550 Myrtle Avenue, Brooklyn
(entrance through parking lot)
*Space is limited/ arrive Early
Poems About My Rights: We Will Not Go Silently | spoken word & poetry
presented by Willow Arts Alliance Date: Friday, Feb 17, 6-8pm Location: Leisure Life NYC, 559 Myrtle Avenue, Brooklyn
*Space is limited/ arrive Early
“A Seat at the Table” | art making, movement & dance
This Black Artstory CLOSING EVENT is presented by Museum Hue and BLDG 92 Date: Friday, Feb 24, 6-9pm Location: BLDG 92 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, 63 Flushing Ave at Carlton Avenue
We are proud to present the 5th Annual Black Artstory Month, THE ALTAR: RITUALS OF HEALING IN THE AFRICAN DIASPORA, February 1-28. Collaborating partners FOKUS, Present Futures, Willow Arts Alliance, Museum Hue & BLDG92. Our month-long event series and Artwalk explores the vital role and traditions around healing, restoration, and realignment in African Diasporic communities. FREE events take place every Friday evening and additional nights. Featuring the work of over 30 Brooklyn-based visual artists, the Artwalk & events include everything from dance performances, visual art and live exhibitions to film screenings and poetry readings. Events take place at venues along Myrtle Avenue including Ingersoll Community Center, Five Spot Soul Food, Leisure Life NYC, Pratt Institute and the Brooklyn Navy Yard’s BLDG 92.
SCHEDULE OF FREE EVENTS(most take place on Friday evenings) KICK-OFF EVENT with videos by BRIC | interactive art, dance & video “The Altar” Kickoff Celebration co-presented by FOKUS Date: Friday, Feb 3, 6-9pm Location: Ingersoll Community Center, 177 Myrtle Avenue, Brooklyn
Healing & Self-Preservation as Resistance | film, video & performance presented by Present Futures
Date: Friday, Feb 10, 7-9pm
Location: Pratt Institute Film/Video Department, 550 Myrtle Avenue, Brooklyn
(entrance through parking lot)
*Space is limited/ arrive Early Info: Present Futures is a collaborative group of educators, artists, curators, and organizers that believe in tackling issues around structural oppression and injustice through contemporary art (artists Suhaly Bautista-Carolina, Teal Baskerville, Kathy Cho, Lynnette Miranda, and Henry Murphy). In moments of injustice, how do we think about the future when the present is so daunting and fraught? How are self-care and self-preservation prioritized as a strategies for resistance? Featuring works by Damali Abrams the Glitter Priestess, Curtis Bryant, Joseph A. Cuillier III, Dominique Hunter, Llucy Llong, Tsedaye Makonnen and Wi-Moto Nyoka, Present Futures: Healing and Self-Preservation as Resistance shares the work of Damali Abrams the Glitter Priestess, Curtis Bryant, Joseph A. Cuillier III, Dominique Hunter, Llucy Llong, Tsedaye Makonnen and Wi-Moto Nyoka, artists whose practices center on liberating the Black imaginary and challenging dominant narratives around the Black experience. This program is presented in two parts: a group exhibition at Gnarly Vines, 350 Myrtle Avenue and this one-night performance and time-based art series. RSVP This Ain’t A Eulogy: A Ritual for Re-Membering | film screening
Date: Thursday, Feb 16, 7:30pm-9:30pm Location:Five Spot, 459 Myrtle Ave at Washington Avenue, Brooklyn Info: Moved by the non-indictments of the police officers responsible for the deaths of Eric Garner and Michael Brown, “This Ain’t A Eulogy: A Ritual for Re-Membering” draws parallels between discarded materials and the violent treatment of Black people in the United States. Through performance and installation, Taja Lindley is re-imagining how to recycle the energy of protest, rage, and grief into creating a world where, indeed, Black lives matter. The solo performance healing ritual debuted in January 2015 at La Mama’s SQUIRTS: New Voices in Queer Performance. This presentation is the world premiere of the film. Click here to see Taja Lindley in performance. RSVP
Poems About My Rights: We Will Not Go Silently| spoken word & poetry
presented by Willow Arts Alliance Date: Friday, Feb 17, 6-8pm Location: Leisure Life NYC, 559 Myrtle Avenue, Brooklyn
*Space is limited/ arrive Early Info:Poems About My Rights: (We Will Not Go Silently): Taking it’s title from June Jordan’s powerful poem, Willow Alliance presents poets Yesenia Montilla, Roberto Carlos Garcia, Nkosi Nkululeko and Randall Horton for a night of commentary and critique against the very structures that would rather they accept silence. RSVP
“A Seat at the Table” | art making, movement & dance
This Black Artstory CLOSING EVENT is presented by Museum Hue and BLDG 92 Date: Friday, Feb 24, 6-9pm Location: BLDG 92 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, 63 Flushing Ave at Carlton Avenue
BlackArtstory’s closing event will focus on the importance of creating visual representations and journeying together towards self-preservation and collective work for the healing and protection of our communities. Over the past two years Museum Hue has gathered, grown, cultivated and practiced creative resistance that highlights the resilient spirit of community and affirms that we all belong. During this festive participatory event there will be a community curated playlist, dance, movement arts, performances, and a pop-up art exhibit. RSVP
40 local artists will open their studio doors and others will activate public spaces throughout Fort Greene, Clinton Hill & Bed Stuy at the 17th Annual SONYA Artwalk. The walk takes place on Saturday, May 21st and Sunday, May 22nd from noon – 6pm, with opening events on Thursday, May 19th and Friday, May 20th.
Artwalk Maps are currently available for pick up at the following locations:
HADAS Gallery, 541 Myrtle Avenue between Grand & Steuben
Corkscrew Brooklyn 489 Myrtle Avenue Hall Street & Ryerson
Green in BKLYN Myrtle Avenue between Clinton & Waverly
Owl & Pussycat, 154 Vanderbilt Avenue at Myrtle Avenue
Pillow Cafe-Lounge, 505 Myrtle Avenue between Ryerson & Grand
TIPSY, 584 Myrtle Avenue at Classon Avenue
The ArtWalk app will also be live for the event or you can download it on itunes.
FORT GREEN & CLINTON HILL NEIGHBORHOOD HUBS:
Myrtle Avenue, Hadas Gallery, 541 Myrtle Avenue
Flushing Avenue: BLDG92, 63 Flushing Avenue
EVENTS
Thursday, May 19, 8pm
Artist Talk with Lucio Zago Hadas Gallery, 541 Myrtle Avenue
Friday, May 20, 7pm
Opening Party Cardiff Giant, 415 Myrtle Avenue
Saturday, May 21, 2-4pm
Make your own Dreamcatcher! Workshop Hadas Gallery, 541 Myrtle Avenue
Saturday, May 21, 1-3pm
Weaving Together, All are welcome to bring materials to an outdoor weaving event with Weaving Hand. No experience necessary! Bldg 92 Courtyard, 63 Flushing Avenue
Sunday, May 22 (Time TBA)
Live Painting
Bldg 92 Courtyard, 63 Flushing Avenue
SAVE-THE-DATE for our FREE Music Series coming in June to Myrtle Avenue! That’s right FREE live music at restaurants, bars & cafes on Myrtle Avenue between Washington and Classon Avenues on five (5) Thursdays in June: June 2, June 9, June 16, June 23, and June 30. Mark it on your calendar.
Women of the World Poetry Slamare proud to announce Clinton Hill, Brooklyn as the host for the 2016 competition at Pratt Institute.The four-day poetry festival will take place March 9-12, 2016 on the Pratt Institute campus in Brooklyn. Tickets are currently SOLD OUT & STANDBY ONLY. Click HERE to see more info on tickets.
The Women of the World Poetry Slam (WOWps) brings together 96 of the best women and gender non-conforming slam poets to compete against one another for a chance to be crowned champion. In addition to the competition, each day of the festival features poetry workshops, themed open mics and special events designed to foster community-building among participants.
The following independently-owned businesses on Myrtle Avenue will be offering discounts to participating poets: Liberty Pizza, 482 Myrtle Avenue between Washington Avenue and Hall Street, (718) 789-0600.
Black Artstory Month 2016 has in fact ended but don’t fret, you can celebrate Black History year-round here in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill through our Black Artstory Podcast, a self-guided walking tour that explore’s the neighborhood’s rich history as a home to many famous and influential Black artists. The easily downloadable audio tour focuses on eight different individuals who used the neighborhood as their muse and helped define the community’s lasting legacy as an enclave for Black artists. The tour is perfect to listen to from the comfort of home, or in person, walking the neighborhood’s streets and seeing the sites where these artists lived and worked.
Please review the suggested route map and note that navigation directions are available within the tour recording at the beginning of each episode. You can find the tour here, or click below to access for free via iTunes.
IF YOU WISH TO LISTEN TO THE WALKING TOUR PODCAST ON A MOBILE DEVICE, YOU MAY ACCESS THE FREE TOUR THROUGH THE iTUNES STORE.
Join us for the closing Black Artstory Performance, The Glass Eye, a multi-disciplinary performance piece concerning the disembodiment of the black body through police violence; and the subsequent protests in reaction to these incidents—witnessed through the camera eye. The Glass Eye is written, directed and composed by Kiowa Hammons (Hot Hands) and features members of the Victorious Dance Company. The FREE performance is this coming Friday, February 26th, 7pm at BLDG 92 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, 63 Flushing Avenue at Carlton. RSVP: http://blackartperformance.eventbrite.com
Space is limited. Arrive Early. Running Time: Approx. 1 hour
Some material may not be suitable for children.
About the Performers:
HOT HANDS is the performance art moniker of Kiowa Hammons and Daonne Huff. Influenced by improvisation and electro-acoustic experimentation, the group encourages an open door policy of musicians and artists for collaboration; focusing on the incorporation of sound, film, dance, and visual art to create multi-disciplinary performance pieces. Optimists at heart, the group follows the ethos that music is a transcendental form of communication with the power to connect performers and listeners to a higher level of consciousness and harmony.
Victorious Dance Company featuring Ferrin Coleman & Whitney G. McIntosh:
Victorious Dance Company is a contemporary movement company working to build social awareness, community engagement and cultural empowerment through the art of dance. Serving as the non-profit arts education program Victory Music & Dance, Inc.’s senior dance company, Victorious Dance Co. has had the great opportunity to train, facilitate workshops and perform for youth in the Brooklyn community for over five years. Through these community engagements Victorious Dance Co. has developed a model that empowers young people to be committed to education, the arts and making a difference in the community.
Black Artstory Month/SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED is presented by the Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership. PERFORMANCE: The Glass Eye is presented in partnership with BLDG92. The Glass Eye is part of Black Artstory Month 2016 titled, SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED. The series of FREE performances, talks, film screenings, and public art experiences celebrate the enduring influences and contributions that African Americans have made and are making within the visual and performing arts worlds. myrtleavenue.org/blackartstory
Join us for Black Artstory Film: Re-Work/Re-Frame, a FREE Night of Short Films & Documentaries spotlighting voices under heard or unseen this coming Friday, February 19th, 7-9pm at Pratt Insitute’s Film /Media Center, 550 Myrtle Avenue. The screening will feature films by Yisa Fermin, Lindsay Catherine Harris, Jamal Lewis, Fredgy Noel and Esteban del Valle and re-frame perceptions and interpretations of lived experiences of people of color. Space is limited. Arrive Early. RSVP: http://blackartstoryfilm.eventbrite.com
Screenings Include:
SHADES by Yisa Fermin
Synopsis: SHADES is a new web series working to promote the visibility and representation of young artists and art administrators of color working in New York City. These video portraits examine the core beliefs, thoughts, and passions driving the subject’s endeavors and how their experience of race in the art world affects their work. SHADES will proudly premiere at this Black Artstory Month event.
Evoking the Mulatto by Lindsay Catherine Harris
Synopsis: Evoking the Mulatto is a multiplatform narrative examining black mixed identity in the 21st century, through the lens of the history of racial classification in the United States. Featuring filmed interviews with young artists and activists, photography, animation, and historical mappings, this interactive video art project seeks to address a relevant contemporary issue by glimpsing at its chronicle. www.evokingthemulatto.com
Too Little Time To Love by Esteban del Valle
Synopsis: Esteban del Valle recreated a 1963 Ford Galaxy built from wood, foam, cardboard, and covered in collaged images of the car itself. The Ford Galaxy functions as a set for a monologue comprised solely of quotes taken from speeches delivered by Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and Mahatma Gandhi. The monologue rearranged exact quotes to create a script that resembled one side of a heated dialogue, resulting in a narrative involving love, betrayal, violence, and murder. The scene unfolds over the span of a simulated car ride down Martin Luther King Kr. Boulevard in New York, and was performed by del Valle while wearing mask composed of the faces of all three historical figures combined. www.estebandelvalle.com/illustrations
Milking It by Fredgy Noel
Synopsis: Milking It is a quirky yet thoughtful film that challenges notions related to aging, race, and female solidarity. The story follows a presumably motherless young woman (Josephine) through three successive relationships, as she seduces men with the sole purpose of befriending their moms. www.milkingitmovie.com
No Fats, No Femmes by Filmmaker: Jamal Lewis
Synopsis: No Fats, No Femmes explores desire, the politics of desirability, and the ways in which they are informed and shaped by media, pop culture, and capitalism through interviews, archival research, and performance. The film engages the phrase “no fats, no femmes,” which is popularly used on queer social networking/dating sites, through the personal narrative(s) of 5 Black and Brown queer, trans, fat, femme, and disabled people. www.jamaltlewis.com/nofatsnofemmes/
Black Artstory Month/SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED is presented by the Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership. FILM: Re-Work/Re-Frame is presented in partnership with Pratt Institute.
SOME WORDS born in this neighborhood have changed the world. 
Feb 1 11am | Children’s Story Time
About Black Artstory Month
Join us for Merry on Myrtle. We’re hosting our very first holiday event in the new Myrtle Avenue Plaza on Saturday, December 16th, from 12pm to 3pm. Join us!
We are proud to present the 5th Annual Black Artstory Month, THE ALTAR: RITUALS OF HEALING IN THE AFRICAN DIASPORA, February 1-28. Our month-long event series and Artwalk explores the vital role and traditions around healing, restoration, and realignment in African Diasporic communities. FREE events take place every Friday evening and include everything from dance performances, visual art and live exhibitions to film screenings and poetry readings. Featuring the work of over 30 Brooklyn-based visual artists, the Artwalk & happenings take place at venues along Myrtle Avenue including Ingersoll Community Center, Leisure Life NYC, Pillow Cafe-Lounge, Pratt Institute and the Brooklyn Navy Yard’s BLDG 92 among others.
