This just in:
OPEN CALL TO ARTISTS
The creative team of the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement (MXGM) and the Brecht Forum are seeking art of various mediums including, but not limited photography, drawings, sculptures, paintings, collages, live-art, and other forms of for the Second Annual Black August Art Exhibition. The exhibition will take place on August 20, 2011 6:00pm-11:00pm at the Brecht Forum, 451 West Street between Bank and Bethune.The Black August Art Exhibition is an excellent opportunity for artists of Afrikan descent to demonstrate the ways in which they address historical and/or contemporary realities of Black people around the world. Black August is a time to STUDY AND PRACTICE EDUCATION AND OUTREACH ABOUT OUR HISTORY AND THE CURRENT CONDITIONS OF OUR PEOPLE. This call is to invite you to engage in a visual dialogue around Black August.
Submission Guidelines:
-All submissions must speak to the lives, culture, resistance, organizing, social movements, and/or political matters of the African Diaspora.
-Artists may submit up to five entries for consideration.
-Submissions must be emailed to blackaugustartshow@gmail.com by July 1, 2011. No exceptions. Submissions must include include a list of the images, including artist’s name, artwork title, dimensions, materials, year of completion, and a brief description of artwork. The image list should correspond with titled image files.
-Notifications of acceptance will be emailed by July 5, 2011.
-Artists are responsible for art delivery and pick up.
-For more info please contact Brandon King and Lehna Huie at blackaugustartshow@gmail.com.
Please note that by submitting your work to the Black August art auction, ALL funds for works sold will go directly to political prisoners. If you choose to submit the original piece-know that it will be up for sale at the auction. Please be sure to select pieces you are willing to donate towards the efforts of freeing political prisoners. We suggest that if you want to exhibit the original, you may also have prints available for sale. It is your choice whether or not you want to sell the original. We will be able to provide assistance if you want to make prints available for sale.
About Black August
On August 21, 1971, George Jackson was assassinated by prison guards during a Black prison rebellion at San Quentin Black August. Six brothers, later named the San Quentin Six,honored those who died during the rebellion by founding Black August.
The San Quentin Six dedicated the month of August to embracing principles of unity, self-sacrifice, political education, and physical training. The Six focused on reading revolutionary literature, held daily exercises, did not listen to the radio or watch television, and fasted from sun-up to sundown to honor those who died in the struggle for revolution.
Black August observance spread in late 1970‘s and was practiced byBlack/New Afrikan revolutionaries throughout the country. MXGM inherited knowledge and practice of Black August and in 1998, began the Black AugustHip-Hop Project.
Over the years, MXGM has facilitated hip-hop shows in New York and sponsored international delegations of artists/activists to Cuba, South Africa, Tanzania, Brazil, and Venezuela. MXGM has featured musicians including: Erykah Badu, Common, dead prez, the Roots, Jean Grae, Les Nubians, Pharoahe Monch, Chuck D, Gil Scott-Heron, Dave Chapelle, Tony Touch,Black Thought, The Roots, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, La Bruha, Coup, and Cody Chestnutt during Black August events. To learn more about Black August, please visit mxgm.org/blackaugust/
