Amazing Queens artists display the power of culture
BY TAMMY SCILEPPI
Life is complicated.
But thankfully, there’s
always art – in all its
diverse forms – to soften
the blow.
The Queens Council
on the Arts (QCA) Artist
Commissioning Program
is there to support local
creatives and their
innovative performing
arts projects, which
represent some of the
most ground-breaking
work being produced
here in dance, theater
and music.
“Who has the power
to create new culture?
The idea of an arts patron
typically conjures an
image of a very wealthy,
privileged person.
What distinguishes the
Program is that we’ve
restructured this process
to democratize creative
production, enabling
Queens residents to
commission culture for
their communities and
by their community
members,” said
Kelly Olshan, QCA’s
Artist Commissioning
Program Manager.
In its second year,
the program awards
each winner $10,000
towards the creation
and production of an
original project, as
well as a year-long
commitment of advisory
and support from a group
of dedicated Jamaica-
and Flushing-affiliated
arts enthusiasts and
community members.
Selected by these
art producers for
their capacity to tell
untold stories, the
four winning projects
tackle and comment on
today’s pressing issues
– from prison reform to
gun violence.
Yogi Guaydin is
inspired by life even
with its ups and downs.
“I feel all moments are
teaching and learning
experiences and I’m
learning how to use both
reality and imagination
to tell stories,” he said.
Kerri Edge at dance class.
Courtesy of Queens Council on the Arts
The Jamaica-based
educator, artist and audio
engineer/producer will
present an experimental,
immersive theatre project,
“Shooter,” in which people
participate and become
the story while telling
their own stories.
“Shooter” will take
place at the Jamaica
Center for Learning
Arts; dates have yet
to be determined.
* * *
“In a recent work
of mine which was
presented at the Queens
Museum, I employed the
use of movement, video,
lighting and set design,
along with an original
piece of music to produce
a multi-disciplinary
artistic creation. I
propose to expand and
amplify all these elements
in my new work,” said
Elmhurst dancer and
choreographer Guanglei
Hui, who grew up in
China.
“The Silent Voices”
takes place on Oct. 20 at 7
p.m. at Queens Museum.
* * *
Astorian and
interdisciplinary artist
Claire Marie Lim, is
an advocate of women
and young people in
music technology. Her
music project “Colors
of Us,” will feature
new musical material
created in collaboration
with female-identifying
youths of Asian descent
residing or having roots
in Queens.
Growing up in
Singapore, Lim said she
was very much aware of
socio-cultural norms that
she was advised to follow.
“I see my project
as more of providing a
platform for young Asian
women to have the space
to be creative. I didn’t
conceive it with a specific
message in mind, but it
definitely aligns with
my personal vision of
empowering those around
me to be unafraid of being
themselves,” she said.
“Colors of Us” will
debut in late August at a
venue to be announced.
* * *
ARTivist Kerri Edge
of Jamaica is inspired
by stories that tell
the experience of
African Americans.
“’REFORM’ is
created to shed light on
the racial disparities in
the American justice
system,” said Edge, who
also uses tap dance to
encourage others to
advocate for legislation.
“Tap monologues set to
poetry and music expose
audiences to the harsh
treatment considered to
be a legitimate way to deal
with inmates,” she added.
“REFORM” will
take place at the Milton
Bassin Performing Arts
Center at York College,
Sept. 27 and 28.
For more information,
visit queenscouncilarts.
org/2018-artists.
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