The 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) made it illegal for employers to discriminate on the basis of mental and physical disabilities, supplementing the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which had made it illegal to discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sex and national origin. To celebrate the 25th anniversary of this landmark legislation, a juried exhibition of visual art from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has been touring the nation. “The Journey” presents works by artists with disabilities, ages 16 to 25. The unique life experiences of the young artists are reflected in the diversity of the art, which includes works of hand-cut paper and burnt canvas.
A reception will be held at Independence First (540 S. First St.) on Friday, July 24 from 5-9 p.m. At 7 p.m. there will be an artist talkback with Jason Wellington, one of the artists on display who has journeyed to Milwaukee for the reception and to teach a youth art class earlier in the day.
Gallery Night and Day
The city’s quarterly art party makes its penultimate appearance for 2015 July 24-25. More than 60 venues across the city will display works by countless artists, from local unknowns to national names. A comprehensive gallery listing and event map can be found on historicthirdward.org. This GN&D features a number of noteworthy exhibitions by young artists and of art about youth. Here’s a closer look at a few.
Maddy Steele’s Painting
Black Sheep
216 S. Second St.
Hip-hop is to Maddy Steele what rock ‘n’ roll is to baby boomers: the sound of youthful swagger and independence. The portraits painted by this precocious 18-year-old strive to replicate the complexities of the best hip-hop and rap while undermining the prejudice that all such music is meaningless and misogynistic. Black Sheep will be displaying Steele’s canvasses July 24-25. On July 24, they will be accompanied by ’90s hip-hop music spun by DJ Henry Huggins.
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“Young Cornrows: An Exhibition of the Works of Cbabi Bayoc”
Alphabang Art Space
228 S. First St., Suite 210
First things first—Cbabi is pronounced kuh-bob-bi and his full name is an acrostic standing for “Creative Black Artist Battling Ignorance/Blessed African Youth of Creativity.” Bayoc’s art reflects the social awareness that the name would suggest. The illustrations that will be exhibited derive from Young Cornrows Callin Out the Moon, a children’s book that poetizes the life of youth in South Philadelphia. But Bayoc’s vibrant palette brings the whimsical world of children to life with or without the aid of an accompanying text. His works will be displayed at Alphabang Art Space on Friday, July 24 from 6-10 p.m.
