JCTC Reinvents the Artist Talk with New ARTSpeak Program

People will soon be talking about visual art in a new way. Jersey City Theater Center (JCTC) gets decidedly quirky on April 27th when this nonprofit and very eclectic arts organization debuts ARTSpeaks , a complete reimagining of the Artist Talk.

ARTSpeaks takes place April 27th, 7:30pm -10:00pm, 339 Newark Avenue, Merseles Studios, 339 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, N. J. 07302.

ARTSpeaks profiles visual artists in a refreshingly fun and original format. Held in the intimate Black Box Theater at Merseles studios, ARTSpeaks features an interview with individual artists, accompanied by projections of their work. The profile segments are followed by an audience Q&A - but with a unique twist. Audience members are encouraged to write down on index cards "Quirky Questions"-basically anything - no matter how off-the-wall or inappropriate - they've always wanted to ask an artist. The index cards will read by an ARTSpeaks moderator, ensuring the anonymity of the person asking the question.

By delving into craft, the ideas that inspire their work and their life as an artist, ARTSpeaks intends to create a conversation with artists about art that is more honest and wider ranging than what has become acceptable at the typical Artist Talk. "This is not some dull art appreciation class, but genuine story-telling straight from the heart," said Lucy Rovetto, Visual Arts Coordinator, JCTC and curator of ARTSPeaks. "We want to provide exposure to artists while promoting a fresh, and deeper dialogue between community and artists. We want to keep it real and more importantly, we want to discover something about art that we don't already know."

Both audiences are artists are advised to expected the unexpected. "The Quirky Questions will be fun and they are meant to have no boundaries," Rovetto explained. "ARTSpeaks artists are those creative individuals willing to let us look up close and personal at their thought process, work process, life experience, philosophy and the honest, plain truth that goes into creating art."

JCTC's inaugural ARTSpeaks features Here & Now by Ekaterina Abramova, who explores spirituality by combining painting and graphic art, and You Make Me Feel by Luis Alves, a collage artist who assembles a diverse range of pop culture imagery to form thought-provoking commentary on contemporary society.

The two artists, both devoted to their craft but possessing contrasting sensibilities, work in entirely different mediums yet each have shown work in high-profile shows and galleries throughout the U.S. and elsewhere, attracting a growing following of art lovers, collectors and curators.

Works by Abramova and Alves will be displayed at Merseles Studios for ARTSpeaks and work will also be for sale at the event - at a range of affordable price points - and including original works as well as prints and other objects. A work by each participating artist will also be raffled at ARTSpeaks, giving two audience members a chance to go home with an original piece of art (and/or hand-made object) donated by the artist exclusively for ARTSpeaks .

JCTC explores topics global in scope yet relevant to the community. JCTC ARTSpeaks is being introduced during Disruption - the current thematic series by JCTC that runs through June. Through visual arts, theater, readings, dance, music and other performances, the Disruption series examines the personal, social and political impact of the current era of disorienting change. Most JCTC shows are followed by a Talk-Back with the creators of the work and the audience, encouraging dialogue between artists and the community

"Disruption is the perfect series to debut our new ARTSpeaks program," said Olga Levina, Artistic Director, JCTC. "Ekaterina Abramova and Luis Alves are two very talented but distinctive artists and they might even disrupt each other as well the audience."

Levina added, "JCTC presents multiple forms of art in our programming and our mission is to create a dialogue and encourage a conversation within the community. ARTSpeaks spotlights artists and the ideas that inspire them and this unique format will open up a discussion that can lead to a deeper understanding of the relationship between creativity and art. That's a disruption we all can use."

The Moscow-born Ekaterina Abramova's unique style combines 21st century Neo-Expressionism, Spiritual Ornamental paintings and folk art that draws on Russian & Indian mythology. Recent exhibitions include RedDot Art Fair in Miami Beach; Miami River Art Fair; Expressions of Color at Gateway Arts Center, NYC; and Take Your Breath Away at the Victoria Space/Art Factory, Paterson. Her works are in the Eileen S. Kaminsky Family Foundation Permanent Collection as well as in private collections in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Russia, Belgium, Finland, Italy, Switzerland, China and India. A global traveler - she recently returned from a artistic sojourn in Dubai - Abramova has a studio at Mana Contemporary in Jersey City.

Portuguese-born, New Jersey-based and Pratt Institute graduate, Louis Alves is a master of the collage art form. He utilizes a vast lexicon of images appropriated from a range of sources "to create hand-manipulated art that is pleasing to the eye and socially engaging," he said. Recent venues exhibiting his work include The Jewish Museum of New Jersey; Visual Arts Center of New Jersey; Antebellum Gallery, Los Angeles; Sidetracks Gallery, New Hope; Hispanic Heritage/WGBO Gallery in Newark; Ten Eyck Gallery in Brooklyn as well as New York galleries: Ceres Gallery, Chelsea Eye Gallery; Orchard Windows Gallery; The Fletcher Sinclair Mansion; and Jersey City galleries: Merseles Studios; LITM Gallery; The Raven Gallery; Dineen Hull Gallery; 313 Gallery.

IF YOU GO:

ARTSpeaks April 27
7:30pm -10:00pm
($5.00 suggested donation)

Jersey City Theater Center
Merseles Studios
339 Newark Avenue
Jersey City, NJ 07302
(201) 795-5386

For more information, visit jctcenter.org.

Jersey City Theater Center, Inc. (JCTC) manages programming at Merseles Studios and the adjacent White Eagle Hall, currently under construction. JCTC is a nonprofit, 501c3 arts organization committed to presenting innovative and progressive performing & visual arts as well as educational arts programs that embrace the multicultural identity and preserve the rich history of Jersey City, bringing its community closer together and enhancing its quality of life.