"Cultural Passages" opens Sunday at Creative Arts Workshop in New Haven

Creative Arts Workshop Hilles Gallery
80 Audubon St., New Haven, (203) 562-4927
Cultural Passages: What's Art Got To Do With It?
Sept. 13—Oct. 9, 2009
Opening reception: Sun., Sept. 13, 1—4 p.m.

Press release

Creative Arts Workshop (CAW) is pleased to announce its third biennial exhibition, Cultural Passages, this year entitled What's Art Got To Do With It?, which runs September 13 to October 9, 2009. Featuring fifty-seven artists from throughout Connecticut, this year's exhibition communicates the many ways that we define our culture today, revealing who people are, what they do, and how they respond to the world. An opening day celebration will take place on Sunday, Sept. 13, from 1—4 p.m. In coordination with the exhibition, a screening of the documentary The Billboard from Bethlehem is scheduled for Thurs., Oct. 8 at 7 p.m. as well as several I Break for Art! artist talks on Wednesdays at 12 p.m. on Sept. 23 and 30, and Oct. 7. The exhibition and coordinated events are free and open to the public.

In its third run, this year's Cultural Passages exhibition expanded to include artists from across Connecticut who were asked to explore the meaning of culture. The result is fifty-seven artists who use their work to tackle issues of identity, sense of place and locality, ethnic heritage, social and economic circumstances, familial histories and personal struggles, and responses to the tumultuous politics of our time. Seen as a whole, Cultural Passages: What's Art Got To Do With It? represents a complex and vibrant collection of individual viewpoints that work collectively to communicate across cultural barriers.

Artwork for the exhibition was chosen by a Selection Committee composed of local community art advocates Colleen Coleman, Joyce Greenfield, and Benjamin Ortiz. Beginning in March 2009, artists throughout the state were invited to submit work for consideration. In making their selections, the committee also considered a written statement discussing the theme with the artist's work, which will be displayed during the exhibition. Joyce Greenfield, artist and CAW Board member, commented, "The most striking thing to me about viewing the entries for Cultural Passages was how infinite the possibilities are to express ones cultural life experiences through art and how broad the definitions of 'culture' are. Ones culture and geography cannot be separated from who we are and how we view the world. It is wonderful to have this opportunity to explore these influences and experiences."

Cultural Passages: What's Art Got To Do With It? is part of the Workshop's efforts to connect the community art school with artists from New Haven and its neighboring communities. Creative Arts Workshop is committed to future exhibitions and ongoing programming designed to continue building and strengthening connections within the community.