The Southampton Cultural Center will host “Diaspora Vibe 2.0,” the 16th annual Caribbean Crossroads Series Exhibition on Saturday, Aug. 11, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m.
The exhibit which runs from Aug.11 to 26 will provide a dazzling display of provocative, contemporary fine art by more than 30 artists from the Latin American and Caribbean Diaspora. The event launches with an artist-interactive fund-raising gala honoring artist advocate Grace Y. Ingelton.
Ingelton will receive the 365 Art for Change Award at the gala for having supported, mentored and presented several generations of outstanding artists through the organization she helped found, the Dedicators, including Romare Bearden, Lois Mailou Jones, Benny Andrews, and Roy DeCarava; the Panamanian native was honored by the Smithsonian Institution’s Latino Center in 2010 for her significant impact on American culture. The event will feature an “Art Burst,” a brief theatrical performance, and opportunities for attendees to interact with regional artists. Tickets to the Gala are $125 and can be purchased at www.globalartsmediainc.com.
The Caribbean Crossroads Series surveys the dynamic images of Caribbean artists with a gaze on Afro-Cuban and Afro-Latino Caribbean artists. Works express the daily struggles, triumphs and spiritual journeys of many of the artists exhibited; featured pieces will include painting, photography, installation, mixed media, metal works, wood carvings, printmaking, textile and handmade paper miniature drawings. Participating artists include Edouard Duval-Carrié, Yasser Castellanos, Juan Erman Gonzalez, Hugo Moro, Rosa Garmendia, Carol Jaime, Patrick DeCastro, Selina Roman, Elaine Bradford, Sarah Krupp, Patricia Roldan, Grettel Arrate, Erin Nutsugah, Flor Bosco, Agusteen Jiménez Chacos, and Magdalena Goudie, among others.
A celebration of artists and art-making, “Diaspora Vibe 2.0” will provide opportunities for audiences of all ages to meet, learn about art, and make art with international, regional, and local artists through group and private gallery tours, one-to-one conversations, and artist-led demonstrations and workshops to be held in venues throughout Southampton and the East End of Long Island. The two-week exhibition will include a lively Artist Marketplace—to be held each weekend during the exhibition, at the Southampton Inn—offering high-quality fine art, photography, jewelry, ceramics, glass and fiber arts, and other handcrafted items for sale by national and regional artists.
The event is co-presented by Global Arts/Media, a Glen Cove, New York cultural planning firm, and Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator, a Miami-based nonprofit arts organization. Regional sponsors and collaborators include the 21st Century Foundation powered by Tides (based in New York City), the Southampton Cultural Center, the Southampton Inn and East End Arts, the regional arts council headquartered in Riverhead, New York.
“We’re excited for this opportunity to help audiences familiarize themselves with the exceptional talent of Latin and Caribbean Diaspora artists, who are all too often still left out of mainstream arts conversations,” said Rosie Gordon-Wallace, executive director of Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator, who founded the Diaspora Vibe Caribbean Cultural Series 16 years ago to help put Caribbean art on the radar of the international art world of critics, collectors, galleries, museums and other artists.
“‘Diaspora Vibe 2.0’ grew out of our commitment to creating a high quality event that would showcase the talent and, in several instances, genius of Latin American and Caribbean artists, “stated Vanessa Greene, president and CEO of Global Arts/Media. “My hope is that Global Arts’ annual art show will help grow and contribute to the vibrancy and diversity of Long Island’s East End cultural community.”
Proceeds from the benefit will support the ongoing efforts Global Arts/Media and Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator to nurture artists and to create opportunities for them to produce and exhibit their work. For further information, visit www.globalartsmediainc.com.
The Southampton Cultural Center is located at 25 Pond Lane in Southampton, NY., (631) 287-4377
