“Themes of peace, the environment and love never go out of style when coupled with
Rock and Roll as delivered via Woodstock in a lasting cultural impression no one can deny.”.
A major cultural exhibition, ARTISTS FOR PEACE & THE ENVIRONMENT, will be on display in all its revolutionary and artistic glory at The New York City Contemporary Art Fair, Oct. 25-27 in the stunning new Javits Center North pavilion. Developed with Michael Lang (one of the primary forces behind the epic Woodstock Festival of 1969) and directed and curated by Jamie Ellin Forbes, publisher of Fine Art Magazine, “Artists For Peace & The Environment” is comprised of paintings expressly created for Woodstock on 4’ x 8’ canvasses
Originally this broad body of work by notable artists, musicians and show business personalities and a new generation of artists was exhibited at Woodstock ’99, in Rome NY. Paintings by Hog Farm luminary Wavy Garvy in collaboration with Trixie Garcia (Jerry’s daughter), Tico Tores (Bon Jovi’s drummer), Wade Smith, Lorraine Bracco (of The Sopranos), Stan Natchez, Christo, and Steve Kerner (among many others) are featured along with works by noted Graffiti artists Craig Cartwright, Ron English, Anthony Ausgang, Zephyr, Ward Sutton and Van Arno. All were installed for exhibition in the Art Tent erected on site in the Woodstock ’99 Art Park.
Michael Lang has had an ongoing commitment to the visual arts dating to the original Woodstock in 1969 which was officially called “The Woodstock Music and Art Fair — An Aquarian Exposition: 3 Days of Peace & Music”, and continued as the “Wall of Peace” for the 25th Anniversary of Woodstock held in Saugerties New York in 1994 followed by the Artists For Peace and the Environment exhibition at Woodstock ’99. Jamie Ellin Forbes co-founded Fine Art Magazine in 1975 and remains as its publisher to this day.
“The time is now for another look at this amazing and wonderful collection of art,” she recently stated. “After the Boston Marathon bombings, I sat down to reflect on the Columbine High School murders that occurred the day Michael and I met to develop the exhibition. Flashing back to 1969 it occurred to me how the more things change, the more they remain the same. Back the there was Vietnam and various ecological travesties. Today we have the Iraqi and Afghanistan conflicts, rampant terrorism, the World Trade Center disaster, the BP oil spill and nuclear plants melting down in Fukushima. I understood this exhibition with the very pure and idealistic energies of the artists, is more relevant than ever. The work needed to show and be understood as timeless. The concepts of peace and the environment had come full circle making this Exhibition of Artist For Peace and the Environment an important artistic collection and statement.
NYC Contemporary Art Fair director Richard Rothbard, with special insight into the significance of the body of work, is a primary sponsor of the exhibition along with Fine Art Magazine. The breadth and depth of the collection of work, is a vibrant antidote to the negative forces at play in the world today. By offering space for the complete exhibition, Rothbard elevates re-emphasizes the importance of he complete exhibition at the Jacob Javits Convention Center, October 25-27. The entirety of the collection will be hung as created on 4’ x 8’ canvasses expressly for ” Artists for Peace and the Environment”, Woodstock ‘99
Mr. Rothbard notes: “The Contemporary Art Fair is special, the perfect place to display Artists for Peace and the Environment”. As the founder & director I am so glad that we achieved the success that has made it possible to showcase this as well as other special events. We are an art fair that features the works of emerging artists; painters & sculptors who share the spotlight with an exceptional juried selection of fine crafts artists.
“We love that the show has brought together such a wonderful mix of fine art and fine craft along with artists in action, working at the potters wheel , creating amazing thought provoking installations, graffiti artists, and an opening party with great music; all wrapped up into one fabulous day for the entire family.”
ARTISTS FOR PEACE AND THE ENVIRONMENT has been displayed in it’s entirety or partly in museums and additional galleries and venues in the United States and abroad. A partial list of exhibitions follows: The Berlin Exhibition ‘99, the “Young and Free Festival”, Nuremberg on behalf of the children for UNICEF in association with Dieter Schneider, the Steps Organization, 2005, The Nassau County Museum of Art, The Blue Poodle Gallery Blues Festival, SunStorm Celebration of the Arts Festival in Lake Placid, The Toolwood Summer Festival in Germany, in conjunction for the World Cup ’06 and on the Intrepid Museum in New York City.
In retrospect, Michael Lang, as well as all of the artists and contributors were ahead of their time establishing a usage of music and art to promote an expansive cultural horizon and a general public awareness for peace and the environment. This process of public and personal awareness through the arts is as relevant today. It is timeless. An optimism realized through artist participation can be seen in the art panels from Woodstock ’99 as well as the ’94 Wall of Peace.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, in an Official Proclamation said, “It is a great pleasure to welcome everyone to the 4th Annual Contemporary Art Fair NYC and American Fine Craft Show NYC. As the home of some of the world’s finest museums and art galleries, our City is proud to be known as an international cultural capital. This weekend, some of the most talented painters, photographers, sculptors, and artisans from around the world will gather to showcase their work for thousands of attendees.”
Exhibited artists include: Eric Galandak, Bradley Arthur, John Grubacs, Jim Franklin, Ishbel Macintosh, Steve Lavaggi, Jill Lynne, Ali Golkar, Michael Bradley, Van Arno, Michael Shapiro, Regina Tolomeo, Michael Knigin, Zephyr, Connie Harris, Wavy Gravy/Trixie Garcia, Matthew Smith, Mike DiMisa, Dawn Cesare, Shen, Ulana Zahajkewycz, Michael Shapiro, Nancy Morris, David Lawrence, Ken Chaya, Anthony Ausgang, Ron English, Steve Kerner, Steve Cerio, Ward Sutton, Thomas Durand, Francis Pavy, Rory Skagen, David Gerbstadt, Samuel Orellana, Ellen Frank, John Planas, Steve Zaluski, Siv Cedering, Tico Torres, Paul Wegner, Django Voris, David Sorrentino, Alexandre Sazonov, Mark Gagnon, Craig Cartwright, Tom Cain, Kevin Kelly, R.S. Wade, Phyllis Sims, Simon Bull, Andrea Keen, Royi Akavia, Ron English, Michelle Esrick, Alexander Zakharov, Yuri Gorbachev, Stan Natchez, Fiona Smyth, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Steve Kaufman, Christine Dumbsky
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