Feature
www.qns.com I LIC COURIER I JANUARY 2020 37
BY ANGÉLICA ACEVEDO
ART BreakOUT, a platform
for artists who work
independently outside of
the mainstream Western art
establishment, is bringing its first-ever
exhibition to Long Island City.
“Unbound: Authentic Visions and
Voices” will be on display at 2020 The
Local NYC on 1302 44th Ave. from Jan.
9 through Feb. 27. The exhibition will
feature works of art in a wide range of
styles, techniques and media by more
than two dozen artists from across the
globe, including Brazil, Colombia, El
Salvador, Armenia, Greece, Argentina,
the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico,
Guyana and Iran.
The artwork, which was carefully
curated by artist and activist Bonnie Astor
and ART BreakOUT’s spokesperson
Lois Stavsky, will reflect a variety of
personal and collective themes, such
as identity, trauma, loss, dislocation,
hope, healing, resilience and resistance.
Each artist featured in the exhibit
is “unbound,” as ART BreakOUT puts
it, from the conventions of the art
establishment.
There are many Queens-based
artists featured in “Unbound” as
well, such as Issa Ibrahim, Susan
Spangenberg, John Tursi, Frank Boccio,
Peter Stefanides and Moriah Ressler.
They each bring their own flavor to the
exhibit, with Ibrahim and Spangenberg’s
hauntingly ominous mixed-media work
or Ressler’s meticulously crafted, hand-cut
masks.
Stavsky, who is best known for
her popular urban art blog Street Art
NYC, said she was able to connect
with some of the artists thanks to the
Living Museum on the grounds of the
Creedmoor Psychiatric Institute in
Queens Village.
“It’s been a wonderful experience
working with all these artists who
are out of the radar,” Stavsky said.
“They’re extremely talented and deserve
attention. I’m happy to have a chance
to show their work and am so glad that
Local NYC is so hospitable.”
Photos courtesy of ART BreakOUT
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