Tico Torrres - “Still Here”
Wavy Gravy, Trixie Garcia - “Eternity Now”
Fiona Smyth
Tico Torres, “Still Here”
ARTISTS FOR PEACE & THE ENVIRONMENT
@NEW YORK CITY CONTEMPORARY ART FAIR
JAVITS CENTER NORTH OCT. 25-27, 2013
“Artists for Peace and the Environment grew out of the
1960s peace and love movement which were the roots of
the original Woodstock. The social context
may have varied but the issues and ideals essentially
remain the same today. The intent is to carry the message
from generation to generation.”
— Jamie Ellin Forbes
“Art is an eternal and essential cornerstone in the
process of creating great musical events. Art and music
are connected to the soul.
This has been fundamental throughout all of the
Woodstock Festivals starting in 1969 and continuing
with monumental art walls in 1994 and 1999.”
Anthony Ausgang
— Michael Lang
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, Oct. 3, 2013
CONTACT JAMIE ELLIN FORBES, Curator/Director
[email protected]
Telephone: (631) 339-0152
“Themes of peace, the environment and love never go out of style when coupled with
Rock and Roll as delivered via Woodstock in a lasting cultural impression no one can deny.”.
A major cultural exhibition, ARTISTS FOR PEACE & THE ENVIRONMENT, will be on display in all its
revolutionary and artistic glory at The New York City Contemporary Art Fair, Oct. 25-27 in the stunning
new Javits Center North pavilion.
Developed with Michael Lang (one of the primary forces behind the epic Woodstock Festival of 1969)
and directed and curated by Jamie Ellin Forbes, publisher of Fine Art Magazine, “Artists For Peace &
The Environment” is comprised of paintings expressly created for Woodstock on 4’ x 8’ canvasses
Originally this broad body of work by notable artists, musicians and show business personalities and
a new generation of artists was exhibited at Woodstock ’99, in Rome NY. Paintings by Hog Farm
luminary Wavy Garvy in collaboration with Trixie Garcia (Jerry’s daughter), Tico Tores (Bon Jovi’s
drummer), Wade Smith, Lorraine Bracco (of The Sopranos), Stan Natchez, Christo, and Steve Kerner
(among many others) are featured along with works by noted Graffiti artists Craig Cartwright, Ron
English, Anthony Ausgang, Zephyr, Ward Sutton and Van Arno. All were installed for exhibition in the
Art Tent erected on site in the Woodstock ’99 Art Park.
Christine Dumbsky, came from Germany to participate
Michael Lang has had an ongoing commitment to the visual arts dating to the original Woodstock
in 1969 which was officially called “The Woodstock Music and Art Fair — An Aquarian Exposition:
3 Days of Peace & Music”, and continued as the “Wall of Peace” for the 25th Anniversary of
Woodstock held in Saugerties New York in 1994 followed by the Artists For Peace and the
Environment exhibition at Woodstock ’99. Jamie Ellin Forbes co-founded Fine Art Magazine in 1975
and remains as its publisher to this day.
“The time is now for another look at this amazing and wonderful collection of art,” she recently
stated. “After the Boston Marathon bombings, I sat down to reflect on the Columbine High School
murders that occurred the day Michael and I met to develop the exhibition. Flashing back to 1969
it occurred to me how the more things change, the more they remain the same. Back the there
was Vietnam and various ecological travesties. Today we have the Iraqi and Afghanistan conflicts,
rampant terrorism, the World Trade Center disaster, the BP oil spill and nuclear plants melting down
in Fukushima. I understood this exhibition with the very pure and idealistic energies of the artists, is
more relevant than ever. The work needed to show and be understood as timeless. The concepts of
peace and the environment had come full circle making this Exhibition of Artist For Peace and the
Environment an important artistic collection and statement.
ART TENT, NUREMBERG 2005, “YOUNG & FREE”
NYC Contemporary Art Fair director Richard Rothbard, with special insight into the significance of the
body of work, is a primary sponsor of the exhibition along with Fine Art Magazine. The breadth and
depth of the collection of work, is a vibrant antidote to the negative forces at play in the world today.
By offering space for the complete exhibition, Rothbard elevates re-emphasizes the importance of he
complete exhibition at the Jacob Javits Convention Center, October 25-27. The entirety of the collection
will be hung as created on 4’ x 8’ canvasses expressly fro ” Artists for Peace and the Environment”,
Woodstock ‘99
Mr. Rothbard notes: “The Contemporary Art Fair is special, the perfect place to display Artists for Peace
and the Environment”. As the founder & director I am so glad that we achieved the success that has
made it possible to showcase this as well as other special events. We are an art fair that features
the works of emerging artists; painters & sculptors who share the spotlight with an exceptional juried
selection of fine crafts artists.
“We love that the show has brought together such a wonderful mix of fine art and fine craft along with
artists in action, working at the potters wheel , creating amazing thought provoking installations, graffiti
artists, and an opening party with great music; all wrapped up into one fabulous day for the entire
family.”
ARTISTS FOR PEACE AND THE ENVIRONMENT has been displayed in it’s entirety or partly
in museums and additional galleries and venues in the United States and abroad. A partial list of
exhibitions follows: The Berlin Exhibition ‘99, the "Young and Free Festival", Nuremberg on behalf of the
children for UNICEF in association with Dieter Schneider, the Steps Organization, 2005, The Nassau
County Museum of Art, The Blue Poodle Gallery Blues Festival, SunStorm Celebration of the Arts
Festival in Lake Placid, The Toolwood Summer Festival in Germany, in conjunction for the World Cup
’06 and on the Intrepid Museum in New York City.
In retrospect, Michael Lang, as well as all of the artists and contributors were ahead of their time
establishing a usage of music and art to promote an expansive cultural horizon and a general public
awareness for peace and the environment. This process of public and personal awareness through the
arts is as relevant today. It is timeless. An optimism realized through artist participation can be seen in
the art panels from Woodstock ’99 as well as the ’94 Wall of Peace. YURI GORBACHEV
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, in an Official Proclamation said, “It is a great pleasure to welcome everyone to the 4th Annual Contemporary Art
Fair NYC and American Fine Craft Show NYC. As the home of some of the world’s finest museums and art galleries, our City is proud to be known as an
international cultural capital. This weekend, some of the most talented painters, photographers, sculptors, and artisans from around the world will gather
to showcase their work for thousands of attendees.” Exhibited artists include: Eric Galandak, Bradley Arthur, John Grubacs, Jim Franklin, Ishbel Macintosh, Steve Lavaggi, Jill Lynne, Ali
Golkar, Michael Bradley, Van Arno, Michael Shapiro, Regina Tolomeo, Michael Knigin, Zephyr, Connie Harris, Wavy Gravy/Trixie Garcia,
Matthew Smith, Mike DiMisa, Dawn Cesare, Shen, Ulana Zahajkewycz, Michael Shapiro, Nancy Morris, David Lawrence, Ken Chaya
Anthony Ausgang, Ron English, Steve Kerner, Steve Cerio, Ward Sutton, Thomas Durand, Francis Pavy, Rory Skagen, David Gerbstadt,
Samuel Orellana, Ellen Frank, John Planas, Steve Zaluski, Siv Cedering, Tico Torres, Paul Wegner, Django Voris, David Sorrentino,
Alexandre Sazonov, Mark Gagnon, Craig Cartwright, Tom Cain, Kevin Kelly, R.S. Wade, Phyllis Sims, Simon Bull, Andrea Keen, Royi
Akavia, Ron English, Michelle Esrick, Alexander Zakharov, Yuri Gorbachev, Stan Natchez, Fiona Smyth, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.