Press

ALBANY, N.Y. – The New York State Museum will participate in the Capital District’s week-long MoHu arts festival, which includes the opening of a Black Dimensions in Art exhibition, complemented by a performance of the Empire State Youth Orchestra (ESYO) Jazz Ensemble and the Tutti Celli Jr. Quartet.

The Concert for the Artist “I” will be held October 15 from 1-2 p.m. in Adirondack Hall. The Artists’ I art exhibition, open October 7-15, is on the Museum’s fourth-floor Terrace Gallery, and was created especially by Black Dimensions in Art to celebrate MoHu www.mohufest.com. Both events are free. MoHu will feature dance, music and visual arts from sundown October 8-16. The largest arts festival in the Capital District’s history, it celebrates the quality, vitality and diversity of the arts throughout Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer and Saratoga counties – the area that surrounds the confluence of the Mohawk and Hudson Rivers.

The Artists’ I includes paintings, drawings, photographs, quilts, textiles and mixed media. The exhibition represents the essence of all things creative that an artist draws upon. Whether the artist is inspired by beauty, a place in time or a particular story, the “I” is the movement of energy that flows from the artist to his or her work.

In a collaboration of visual and performing arts, the concert is designed to open the eyes and ears of both the musicians and audience to the richness and synergies found in different art forms. The Concert for the Artist “I” is based on the premise that music and art serve as vehicles that encourage the “I” to reach beyond boundaries and inspire the individual.

The Empire State Youth Orchestra first joined forces with Black Dimensions in Art in November 2010 when the organizations presented “Pictures of an Exhibition” at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall. The ESYO jazz ensemble consists of 17 outstanding high-school jazz musicians from across the Capital District. Tutti Celli Jr. is a cello quintet of African-American youths, both elementary and high school students. They are mentored by the larger TuttiCelli, a multi-cultural cello choir of all ages that performs in the Capital District.

Black Dimensions in Art Inc. is a not-for-profit organization of artists, craftsmen, and art enthusiasts working together to stimulate interest in the creative expressions of art by people of African descent. The mission of Black Dimensions in Art is to educate the public about the contributions of past and present artists of African descent through exhibitions, publications, and other media. It provides exposure and sales opportunities for artists, and encourages youth, especially African-American youth, in the practice and appreciation of the arts.

Founded in 1836, the State Museum is a cultural program of the New York State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education. Located on Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open Monday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. except on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Admission is free. Further information can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the museum website at http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/.

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