February is coming to a close and with it Black History month, but you can still get in on the festivities and experience the rich culture and history of the black community in Brooklyn.
The Creative Side and Calabar Imports in partnership with BKLYN Commons present Destination Bed Stuy: Art, Hip-Hop & Murals. The event is an exploratory symposium highlighting Brooklyn’s contribution to Hip Hop Culture through the lens of art. It takes place on Saturday, Feb. 23, at BKLYN Commons, 7 Marcus Garvey Blvd, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
The event, sponsored by BKLYN Commons, Brooklyn Cooperative Federal Credit Union and WLBS-FM, is free and open to the public and will explore the history of graffiti art and its acceptance into the world of mural painting while introducing some of the medium’s artists, curators and cultural enthusiasts.
The affair, moderated by Atim Annette Oton, will include panel discussions,an art exhibition, on-site mural creation, live DJ music, performances, and a meet and greet with Albert Diaz, a subway graffiti artist and author of “SAMO… Since 1978…”—a collection of stories inspired by the friendship of Diaz and legendary artist Jean Michael Basquiat.
“Bedford-Stuyvesant is home to numerous art galleries, open and commercial spaces that pay homage to the vibrancy and cultural aesthetics of hip-hop culture,” said Atim Annette Oton, international art curator, designer, and Proprietor of Brooklyn-based Calabar Imports. “We look forward to discussing the community’s profound legacy.”
Destination Bed-Stuy: Art, Hip-Hop & Mural is one of the quarterly symposiums curated as part of The Bed Stuy Arts Stroll, a monthly art series featuring exhibits, open studios, talks and literary events celebrating the neighborhood’s creative spirit.
The self-guided Arts Strolls will take place the first Saturday and Sunday of each month, and will include highlighted stops at murals, galleries, open art and performance spaces while engaging participants in fun mural scavenger hunts and a host of participatory merchants, businesses and restaurants to shop and eat along the way.
The Art Strolls meet at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. at Calabar Gallery, 351 Tompkins Avenue, Brooklyn, NY.
Cover photo courtesy of Wally Gobetz.