Photographer Stanley Lumax pariticipates in POSITIVITY PHOTO EXHBITION, Sunday, June 22, Corridor Gallery

Rush Philanthropic A R T S F O U N D A T I O N



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Contact: Nina Ziefvert
June 13, 2008
T: 718-230-5002, F: 718-638-0741
nziefvert@rushphilanthropic.org



JAMEL SHABAZZ ‘ PHOTOGRAPHERS APPEAL FOR NATIONAL “POSITIVITY”
IN BROOKLYN GALLERY
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POSITIVITY
A collective photography exhibition curated by Jamel Shabazz that explores photography beyond its subject matter highlighting the POSITIVITY represented in the definite moment when the lens captures and shines on an individual or object.

On View: June 22 – July 26, 2008
Opening Reception: Sunday, June 22 4-7pm
Artist Panel Discussion: Saturday, June 28 4-5pm.
Moderated by Danny Simmons & Talib Kweli
Danny Simmons’ Corridor Gallery
334 Grand Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11238

BROOKLYN, NY – Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation presents POSITIVITY, a collective photo exhibition curated by documentary photographer Jamel Shabazz, who is most known for his pioneering and dedicated documentation of New York’s street culture. Shabazz explains, “Art and photography are universal languages that transcends race, color, and creed. POSITIVITY is a thought provoking exhibition, created for the purpose of bringing young photographers together from diverse backgrounds and cultures. This project allows them to share their interpretation of POSITIVITY, something we so urgently need at a time when there are so many questionable events taking place around the world. Historically art has been used to address social activism and bring about awareness.”

All artists included in the exhibition Shabazz has encountered, one way or another, through his various photographic endeavors. The majority of the artists are emerging or midlevel some exhibiting their works for the very first time. Artists included are following: Atif Ateeq, Laylah Amatullah Barrayn, Mark Blackshear, Corren Conway, Nicole Crowder, Natasha Daniels, Queen Dita, Cynthia Edorh, Kerika Fields, Wayne Foster, Russell K Fredricks, Akintola Hanif, Aberto Incle, Terence Jennings, Kalalea, Nsenga Knight, Che Kothari, Wayne Lawrence, Allen Loyd, Stanley Lumax Jr., Lauri Lyons, Noreen Mallory, Lady Natural, Luis Romero, Azim Thomas, Alessando Simonetti, Sara Shamsavari, and Shawtieroc.

Positivity Brooklyn is part of PROJECT POSITIVITY; a community based national project founded by Jamel Shabazz designed to teach documentary photography and mentorship to youth around the country. The project’s goal is to help inner city youth find paths out of difficult situations and less then ideal life standards, by teaching them how to use a camera.. The project also serves as a platform providing exhibition opportunities to emerging artists. The project was founded in 2007 and has previously been realized in Toronto, Canada. www.redbull.ca/positivity


Jamel Shabazz, picked up his first camera when he was fifteen and hasn’t it stopped taking pictures since. Developing a passion for photography, Jamel used the camera to document his generation starting in his hometown of Brooklyn, NY, in the mid 1970s. Over the past few years he has traveled to Korea, Brazil, Japan, Thailand, Canada, Morocco and throughout Europe documenting various cultures and costumes. Select exhibitions include The Brooklyn Museum, Bronx Museum of the Arts, African American Museum in Philadelphia, Nathan Cummings Foundation, Memphis School of the Arts, Le Pecine Museum in Roubaix, France, Museum of the City of New York, and Hillwood Museum on Long Island. Shabazz is the author of four monographs, “ BACK IN THE DAYS,” “THE LAST SUNDAY IN JUNE,” “ A TIME BEFORE CRACK,” and “ SECONDS OF MY LIFE”. In 2007 he founded Project Positivity, a community based project designed to teach documentary photography and mentorship to youth. Jamel’s work has frequently been been reviewed in national and international media outlets such as The New York Times, The Village Voice, Time Out Magazine and Trace Magazine. For more information please visit www.jamelshabazz.com


Danny Simmons’ Corridor Gallery is a project of The Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation founded in 1995 by Russell, Danny and Joseph "Rev Run" Simmons, which is dedicated to providing disadvantaged urban youth with significant exposure and access to the arts, as well as providing exhibition opportunities to underrepresented artists and artists of color. For the last ten years the Brooklyn based gallery has been a pioneering cultural outlet serving their audiences with a vision and voice that is different from those in mainstream. Address: 334 Grand Avenue (between Gates & Green) in Brooklyn. Travel Directions: C or G train to Clinton-Washington.


For further info contact Nina Ziefvert at 718-230 -5002 or nziefvert@rushphilanthropic.org
www.rushphilanthropic.org
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For more information on Stanley Lumax Jr, click here.

All text and imagery courtesy of Stanley Lumax/Stone Face Photography.