It's that time of year again...the New York City air is frisky, the sun sets rather early and of all things, the NY Mets are in the World Series, where they haven't been in fifteen years. So obviously, tis the gallery season and a perfect time to hit up an art award program or gala.
The last time the Mets were in the World Series, in the year 2000, the trio of Simmons brothers from queens, Russell, Danny and "Rev" Run, were already five years into co-founding the Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation and the Rush Galleries Program. With it, they have been shamelessly compulsive in their desire and actions to expand the conversation surrounding art and create substantial lanes of expression for a wider swath of artists and curators. Fast forward to Saturday, October 24th, and Rush Philanthropic is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its highly anticipated, Gold Rush Awards, with a 20th Anniversary retrospective exhibition featuring Renee Cox (on view at Littlefield through October and hosted by Mr. Gandy. It will also feature DJ sets by Moma and AzMarie Livingston, a star of Fox's hit show Empire, along with an open bar and art for sale by these esteemed artists:
Cey Adams | John Felix Arnold III | Kimberly M. Beacoat | Ai Campbell | Stephanie Calvert
Luiza Cardenuto | Sophia Dawson | Kate Fauvel | RC Hagens | Allison Janae Hamilton
Musa Hixson | Jennifer Mack | Sylvia Maier | Johnny Mattei | Ashley McKenzie
Danny Simmons | Stan Squirewell | Vid Taylor | Ruthy Valdez |Cullen Washington Jr.
As it was at its inception, Rush Philanthropic is a forward thinking art foundation, that platforms and promotes the careers of artists and curators, from emerging to museum, and has historically presented a litany of iconic, ground breaking artists at their gallery in Chelsea and the Corridor gallery, in Clinton Hill. The event is a fundraiser to continue the organization's mission of highlighting influential individuals within the arts community, while also cultivating a young, taste-making audience of supporters for Rush and its initiatives. and boasts a host committee filled with smart, compassionate people:
Rotimi Akinnuoye, BedVyne | Donnamarie Baptiste | Daria Brit-Greene, ACT/Art | Jesse Cory, 1xrun | Roula David, 1xrun | Tianna Webb Evans, ESP PR | Genese Jamilah, I Don't Do Clubs | Joey Lico | Tim Okamura | Larry Ossei-Mensah | Mikhaile Solomon, PRIZM | Leanne Stella, Art in Flux | Peter "Souleo" Wright
Twenty years deep in the art world. Twenty years deep of being an art conduit. Twenty years deep of platforming, promoting and pitching a tent for creative expression, which has real value. I speak from experience because I'm an alumni of that Rush Gallaries program, having co-curated an submissions exhibit entitled "Signs Of Life", with the supremely curious and talented Charlotte Mouquin Voznesenskaya. That experience was so many things, but most memorably, was that it allowed me to grow as a curator of art. It forced me to broaden my conversation with artists and find comfort in my positions on how I feel about what I see.
The Gold Rush Awards presentation will showcase five honorees, some of New York's best and brightest cultural figures who all foster growing art communities and create opportunities for emerging artists and curators to share their visions in the world, they include:
Renee Cox
Laurie Cumbo
Victor Davson
Dee & Ricky
and featured artist
Cey Adams
Tickets are $50 and can be purchased by clicking Here. Doors open at 7pm and the program begins at 8:30pm, at Littefield, 622 Degraw Street, Brooklyn NY. (Park Slope). If you attend, and also read this article, drop a comment on this page and let us know about your experience
