Eastside Gallery hosts Artists 4 Israel reception

Post date: Aug 29, 2012 5:27:10 PM

PRO-ISRAEL GRAFFITI ARTISTS INVADE U. PITT, STEAL FROM ANDY WARHOL

Israeli Advocacy Organization Re-Creates Famed Subway Mural Honoring Warhol

Why? For Peace, Of Course!

New York City graffiti legends will take over the University of Pittsburgh campus, creating a giant pro-Israel mural based on the artwork of Andy Warhol and Fab 5 Freddy. Students will be taught the basics of graffiti and will be asked to sign their name to the promotional piece. Thursday, September 6^th, 2012, between noon and 5pm on the Union Lawn, COL Wallnuts, BROKER and GlossBlack will put their own interpretation on a well-known cultural icon native to Pittsburgh while discussing the recent boycotts and struggles around arts in Israel and the Middle East. A reception will follow at the Eastside Gallery, 6401 Penn Avenue on September 6^th, 2012 between 6:00 and 8:00pm.

Artists 4 Israel, an infamous advocacy organization that uses radical graffitists, will enter the conversation about what is art, what is mimicry and what is the appropriate use of creativity in solving the Middle East conflict. Andy Warhol turned the Campbell’s soup cans into works of art. New York hip-hop personality, Fab 5 Freddy, turned that image into a mural covering a full subway car. COL from the Wallnuts Crew, BROKER and Jimmy and Robb of the GlossBlack collective, will each take a turn re-interpreting Fab 5’s steel canvas into discussions about Israel.

Craig Dershowitz, Executive Director of Artists 4 Israel explains: “Recently, many world-famous artists have been defying boycott calls against Israel and performing there in a sign of solidarity with Israel, the only country in the Middle East with the appropriate freedoms necessary to support a true, creative community.” COL, BROKER and Jummy will do their own take on the Campbell’s soup cans with each one representing an artist who has just returned from a concert in the controversial country. Eastside Gallery, who respect the arts culture in Israel, welcome these painters.

This is a joint program of Artists 4 Israel, the University of Pittsburgh’s Panthers for Israel and the Eastside Gallery with respect for the Israeli Consulate in Philadelphia and the Hillel of University of Pittsburgh.