Peekskill Arts Council Exhibition

OFF THE BEATEN TRACK The Gallery at Westchester Community College For artists whose studios are beyond the "artist District" or who cannot open for open Studios
 
Calendar: This show will be open during Open Studios weekend 
 
Artists' Reception: Thursday, June 11, 5:30-7:30 pm.
 
Drop Off: Mon-Fri, Week of May 25-29. Fri closes at noon.
 
Contact: Lisa Prown at WCC. 914-606-7304
 
Artists:

• Submit: 1 piece of actual work.
• At: Westchester Community College, 27 North Division Street,    914-606-7304
• Suggested size: Aprox. 22x30" or smaller for wall hung pieces. If you wish to show a larger piece, please also bring a smaller one incase the larger one doesn't fit.
• All works must be ready for display: (ie 2-D properly wired and/or framed, 3-D with base if needed, video must come with appropriate equipment and directions.)

June 5-6 2009, 8 pm – Peekskill, NY – On the evenings of June 5th and 6th, Steel Imaginations and The H-Art Gallery present Unnatural, a multimedia art exhibition featuring sculpture by artist Wilfredo Morel, sound performance by composer Patrick H. Cannell, and film screenings by Nicholas Cannell.

 
To kick off a city-wide open house for Peekskill galleries on the weekend of June 6-7, Unnatural will transform the static gallery exhibit into a 2-night, living art experience. The combination of Wilfredo Morel’s surreal steel renderings and brothers Nicholas and Patrick Cannell’s video projections and live music will open the eyes, ears, and minds of guests in profound visceral and intellectual ways, while providing the social and interactive atmosphere to strengthen the appreciation of art. Thematic exploration and juxtaposition will be prevalent at this show curated by Argentinean architect and designer Maru Pardo, and proceeds of the sale of Morel’s work will be contributed to Hudson River HealthCare (HRHCare), a non-profit network of community health centers located throughout the Hudson Valley region and Long Island.
 
The Unnatural sculptures by Wilfredo Morel have been created with recycled, antique farm machinery and tools, discovered throughout the farming regions of the Hudson Valley whilst outreaching as Director of Immigrant Health for Hudson River HealthCare to our local farms and farmworkers. Wrought into fantastical manipulations of mind and soul, his work maintains an undeniable connection to the land and to the workers that harvest it. Mr. Morel’s lifelong commitment to health is unparalleled, and his contribution to HRHCare’s programs sets the standard at The H-Art Gallery as 40% of all proceeds from exhibitions at the gallery are donated to the Health Center. “As I work, I am always reminded of the difficult lives of the migrant workers and their families…especially their children who travel with them. These children need to have regular access to a doctor and they need to not be afraid to go…. Hudson River HealthCare is a health care “home” away from home and I want to support the organization and the people to whom I have devoted my life.”
 
Film screenings by Nicholas Cannell will provide the story-telling component to the evening, as well as stunning moving visuals to complement and add cohesion to the sculptures and music. Showcasing past documentary works related to health care, immigration, agriculture, and award-winning short films along with new work specifically created for the Unnatural exhibition, Cannell hopes to take guests on a visual and emotional journey. “Unnatural is more than just an art exhibition,” he states. “It’s a chance to push the envelope, to merge seemingly distinct mediums into something bigger, more transcendental, more socially-minded, and shock northern Westchester with an art show the likes of which Peekskill has never seen.”
 
Patrick H. Cannell’s patented soundscapes of techno, blues, and classical are one-of-a-kind and inspired by the driving musical forces behind Wilfredo’s sculptures. Combining pre-arranged compositions and live improvisational musical performances, the multi-faceted Cannell will change the mood of the show repeatedly and unexpectedly, and will carry the reception through the night. 
 
In addition to the Unnatural performance and reception, the sculptures will be on display through mid-July. Admission to the exhibit and reception are FREE. Wine and hors d’oeuvres will be served. For more information, watch a promo video in HD at http://vimeo.com/4673791 or contact Nick Cannell at 914.788.4038 or ncannell@hrhcare.org. 

Art Reception: Sun., June 7th from 12-6 for "Open Studios" weekend!