Brooklyn, N.Y. — Slag Gallery will premiere an international collaborative exhibition of works inspired by homeless, at-risk and orphaned youth around the world on Nov. 4, 2016. Artists’ works will be auctioned off to support HALO, which provides housing, healing and education to youth in the greatest need.
Slag Gallery owner Irina Protopopescu created the exhibition inviting select international artists to be inspired by the artistic expression of HALO children, and the life resiliency they embody every day of their young lives. HALO guided youth through a mindful meditation journey to a memory of safety and love. Based on their memory, youth authored poetry and created abstract art to tell their story — a practice in line with HALO’s primary emphasis on art. The stories were given to artists to inspire their creations. Protopopescu stated that the exhibition was a new and exciting theme to bring to the Gallery and the Brooklyn art scene. Slag Gallery’s art auction will be held at 56 Bogart St. Brooklyn, NY 11206 on Nov. 4 from 6-9 p.m. This is a free event and will feature 30 pieces generously donated by artists and Slag Gallery.
HALO ensures homeless youth are provided the security of a home, time to heal, and the opportunity to obtain an education. The organization thrives on partnerships with supporters to continue to change the lives of youth by offering them a chance to dream about their future, set goals and define a path to attain them.
HALO shared gripping youth stories with artists ranging from anonymous U.S. homeless youth to orphaned Kenyan youth to Ugandan street children who have been victims of war and child prostitution: Nathan writes about his lost time as an at-risk youth and that first moment he felt safe and titles his poem “A Great Day in Light, No Going Back.” Nathan writes “Time, time, time, Come and open my eyes See (me) here writing for you, Please don’t forget my love for you my time… come let me see you my time, show me that new place full of joy.” Miriam and Samuel, who lost both parents to tribal clashes in Kenya, sing back and forth in their native Masasai tongue to each other at night to comfort one another. A Ugandan girl writes about the moment she moved into a HALO Home and felt safe, “I smelled tea and bread, I tasted rice and eggplant, I felt sad being left with people I had never seen before. But now I got a family I love most.”
“Slag has created this incredibly moving project to embrace and showcase the strength of our youth,” said HALO Founder Rebecca Welsh. “Combining professional art with the resilient stories and artwork of homeless, at-risk and orphaned youth has created such a powerful lens. This lens is one we must all look through to get a glimpse of what it means to long for basic human needs like safety. Our youth are honored to be a part of this by serving as inspiration to the artists and hearing their voices amplified.”
Artwork will be on exhibit three days prior to the silent auction — Nov. 1st-3rd, 3-6 p.m. Guests should register for this free event by RSVPing to [email protected]. Mobile bidding will be available for guests to bid on featured artwork from anywhere across the world. Registration is required to set up your online bidding account. Simply visit HALO’s mobile bidding site and click “My Account”. Then select “Request Account” and follow the steps provided. Once the account has been created, anyone can bid on items at the event or from afar.
ABOUT HALO:
Featured in the Moroccanoil INSPIRED film series, “American Spirit” of CBS Evening News, “Heroes Among Us” of PEOPLE magazine, “The Today Show”, and Variety Magazine, HALO provides housing, healing and education to youth in the greatest need. Its goal is to empower youth to become contributing members of their communities. HALO is a volunteer-driven, grassroots non-profit with more than 80 percent of donations going directly to programs. HALO serves over 1,200 youth each year. HALO currently has 21 programs. Internationally, HALO supports youth homes and programs in Uganda, Kenya, Mexico, India, Guatemala and Nicaragua. This includes providing food, water, shelter, clothing, education, art therapy, caretakers, and vocational training or college for youth in the greatest need. Domestically, HALO operates Learning Centers and TLP (housing) programs in Kansas City, MO, and Jefferson City, MO, and programming in New York City, Portland, and Los Angeles. Learn more at www.haloworldwide.org.