The movers and shakers of the Buffalo arts scene will be putting their hometown in the spotlight this Friday. Emerging Leaders of the Arts Buffalo (ELAB) will be hosting its first annual member show, "Urban Alchemy," at ZGM Fine Arts.
The pieces that will be featured in this exhibit draw inspiration from the group's mission of revitalizing Buffalo through the creation of public art. "Urban Alchemy is a theme that comes from ELAB's goals and group origins," said local artist Tara Sasiadek. "We exist to support Buffalo artists and one of our first big endeavors was a public mural that worked to engage community members in visual culture. Our first member show is an extension of that desire: we want to showcase the city's emerging talent and tap into the interaction between our city and the art made there."
Urban Alchemy will showcase the work of over 20 local artists. The pieces will come in a variety of media, reflecting each artist's individual perspective on their city and the art that rises from it. "The work submitted so far has ranged from classical portraiture to street art to interactive video installation," said Sasiadek. "I am eager to see the synthesized whole come together this Friday."
Jurors Gerald Mead and Cori Wolff will be curating the show. Mead is a fine artist, independent curator and educator at Buffalo State College. Wolff is the artistic director at Buffalo Arts Studio. The two will be selecting first, second, and third place award winners from the pieces submitted.
The exhibit opening will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. on Friday, March 30 at ZGM Fine Arts, located at 1045 Elmwood Avenue. There will also be music and complimentary food, beer and wine. The show will remain on exhibit through April 22 (although the poster states a different ending date). For more information on Urban Alchemy and ELAB, visit the Facebook event page or the ELAB website.
"revitalizing Buffalo through the creation of public art"
Love it -- go ELAB!