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'''Rasu Jilani''' is an Independent curator |
'''Rasu Jilani''' is an Independent curator, social sculptor and entrepreneur whose work investigates the intersection between art, culture and civic engagement as a means of raising critical consciousness.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://fluxfair.nyc/curators/|title=Curators {{!}} Flux Art Fair|website=Flux Art Fair|access-date=2016-03-30}}</ref> The objective of his work is to activate interaction between artists, the local community and the wider public, in order to promote awareness around social issues through exhibitions, humanities, community programs and cultural events.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.beatbrooklyn.com/rasu-jilani/|title=Rasu Jilani -|website=www.beatbrooklyn.com|language=en-US|access-date=2016-03-30}}</ref> |
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== Influence == |
== Influence == |
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Revision as of 19:00, 13 April 2016
Rasu Jilani is an Independent curator, social sculptor and entrepreneur whose work investigates the intersection between art, culture and civic engagement as a means of raising critical consciousness.[1] The objective of his work is to activate interaction between artists, the local community and the wider public, in order to promote awareness around social issues through exhibitions, humanities, community programs and cultural events.[2]
Influence
The seed of Jilani's social consciousness began in the late 80s. In 1989, Public Enemy’s “Fight The Power” video in response to Spike Lee’s film “Do The Right Thing,” in the midst of the rising racial tension in NYC due to the death of Yusef Hawkins, has had a profound effect on the way he sees art and its impact on communities. Yusef Hawkins could have been him; he was only a few years older than him, and it was the first time it sank in that he could be a victim of police brutality or a racial crime. This sparked a consciousness of empathy for someone he had not already known, which is the notion of seeing yourself in someone else’s struggle. It was the first time that he can recall seeing socially engaged artists rally a community, redirecting the energy to honor the heroes, collective celebration and created an artistic product as a result[3]. In addition, Hip Hop moment in his pre-teen years has influenced his approach to including communities as a critical piece to his practice as a community organizer and art producer. In 2008 when his first business, Coup d’etat Brooklyn, was conceived, the stoop at his former home on Hancock Street in Bedstuy is the place where his activism was realized, where stories from the neighborhood were shared, and the sense of community was reinforced.[4]
Career
Jilani is an art curator and develops professional programs in the community. The goal of his work is to increase the calibration between artists, the local community, and the public to bring more awareness around social issues that are taking place.[5] He accomplishes this through art exhibitions, volunteering in the community, developing local community programs and cultural events.[6]
Jilani has worked with over 125 artists to curate, design and manage artistic and community events that address social concerns and local issues.[7] He spent two years as a member at Culture and Sustainability at the Pratt Center for Community Development. This is where he oversaw art and cultural programs that connected New York City communities with Pratt Center's community and environmental sustainability projects. Jilani also served two years as Senior Fellow of the Arts.[8]
Jilani is co-founder of Coup d'etat Arts which is a platform for creative expression and changes cultural boundaries[8]. He organized the Coup d'etat Art Collective in 2008, which is a Brooklyn-based collaboration of between artists to create art-related events and activities around New York City. The Coup d’etat Art Collective provides a unique platform for creative synergy while filling an undeniable void in the arts and culture community. These events include Afropunk Festival, BEAT Festival, Long Island University, Pratt Institute, Columbia University, The New School, Mighty Tanaka Gallery, and the Skylight Gallery.
Jilani worked for MAPP International Productions in April 2013 as Director of Community Programs. His most recent work at MAPP includes Blink Your Eyes: Sekou Sundiata Revisited, Triple Consciousness: Black Feminism(s) in the Time of Now, Days of Art and Ideas, and artists led workshops[8]. Prior to joining MAPP, he served a two-year tenure as Senior Fellow of Arts, Culture and Sustainability at the Pratt Center for Community Development. While at Pratt, projects included Arts East New York’s Summer Saturdaze at East New York Farms, Bedford Stuyvesant’s Retrofit Block-by-Block, Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation’s Restoration Rocks and Youth Arts Education, Brooklyn Greens Sustainability Leadership Conference, Cypress Hill Verde Summit, and the “Amplify Action: Sustainability Through The Arts” exhibition.[9]
He is also recognized as one of the resident artists for The Laundromat Project and he was chosen because of the project "Griots in the Stuy". The project is consisted of the photos are of residents who live in and around Tompkins Avenue. He has set out to collect, share and then archive the personal stories of Bed-Stuy–a parallel narrative around gentrification–using Tompkins Avenue as the spine and its residents as “griots.” A griot is a West African word for a historian or storyteller. Griots are a repository of oral tradition and are often seen as a societal leader due to his or her traditional position as an adviser to royal personages.
Laundromat Project
Rasu Jilani became an Artist-in Residence for the Laundromat Project on May 6, 2015. The mission behind the Laundromat Project is to heighten the creativity that already exists within local communities by utilizing art and culture. The result will be strengthened networks within the community, it will solve problems, and enhance the sense of ownership the community has to the place where they live, work, and grow.[4] They strive to have artists be understood and recognized as an asset in every community. Everyday people need to know the power of their own creative power to transform their lives, strengthen their relationships, and improve their surroundings. [4]
Change within communities takes place when artists have the opportunity to build, create, and contribute their uniques skills and views to the needs of their neighborhoods.[6]The artists become valuable assets in strengthening and growing the wellbeing of their community. When skills and strategies for inspiring creativity are made broadly available to the everyday people within these neighborhoods, they can use these tools to help better the world and create positive change. [10] When change takes place, it is noticed to be successful when over time community members, artists or everyday people, independently or collectively become more involved with their community and the culture of their community. They feel more deeply connected to where they live and work, which brings a sense of creativity and imagination to community matters.[11]
The Laundromat Project achieves their mission by following their set of values which includes:
- Creative Catalysts: They are artists that work to connect different ideas, cultures, and view points within a community. They strive to use unique, unconventional, and creative solutions to challenged and situations which shows that artists are dynamic and can be powerful assets to their communities.[12]
- Community - Centered: Creativity is best activated in places where many members of the community already are, such as their local laundromat and many other common places in the neighborhood. While at these local places, they address major issues and concerns the community cares about the most. [12]
- Neighborly: They believe that arts, culture, and creativity are powerful tools that can turn strangers into friendly neighbors. A community of strengthened neighborly relationships helps build resilient communities which everyone deserves to live. They strive to always be good neighbors.
- People Powered: They are inspired by diverse, creative, and passionate individuals who they work with. Even in times when they are faced with challenges of inequality or injustice through race, class, gender, education, or geography/environment, they rely on the creative powers of everyone within their community to imagine a brighter new world and bring it into reality.[12]
- Active Listeners and Learners: They do their best work when they rely on listening and understanding rather than just to hear and recite what has been addressed to them. That is why learning is closely linked to creativity because it requires a willingness to experiment, reconsider, and refine. These two skills are very important for creating positive and transformative change within the community.[12]
- Collaborative and Cross-Pollinating by Design: In order for positive change to take place, it takes a full creative force of people to solve challenges and envision a new way of living. This happens when working collectively and leveraging a wide-spectrum of experiences, knowledge, skills, and viewpoints from each individual member of the community.[12]
- Propelled by Love: The work the Laundromat Project does is powered and inspired by a love of their communities, the principle of justice, and joyfulness to help shape the world they all dream and envision together. Love is one of the most important tools that is essential for power and protest and they embrace it.[12]
Exhibitions
| Apr, 2012 | Amplify Action: "Sustainability Through The Arts" |
| Skylight Gallery, Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation | |
| Nov, 2009 | Live To Change Something Through Art |
| Skylight Gallery, Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation | |
| Jun, 2009 | We’ve Gotta Have It!: Art Inspired by Spike Lee |
| Long Island University, Salena Gallery, Flatbush Campus | |
| Nov, 2008 | Coup d'etat Artshow |
| SlyArt & Robot City | |
| Jun, 2007 | Afropunk Festival Mural |
| Brooklyn Academy of Music | |
Recent Projects [13]
- Brooklyn Greens Sustainability Leadership Conference: “Greening from the Ground Up!”, 2012
- Cypress Hills Verde Summit – Youth Arts Workshop, Fall 2011
- Restoration Rocks, 2011 – “Live Healthy, Live Green, Live Well”
- Bed-Stuy Restoration – Youth Arts Program, Summer 2011
- Cypress Hills Energy Block Party, Summer 2011
- Coup d’etat Artshow – “Live to change something Through Art”, Fall 2009
- Afropunk Festival, Art Production, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012
Venues curated[13]
- Skylight Gallery, Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation
- Long Island University, Salena Gallery, Flatbush Campus
- SlyArt & Robot City
- Brooklyn Academy of Music
External links
- Create Change spotlight, Rasu Jilani on YouTube
- Rasu Jilani, Owner + Creator Coup d'etat BK :: 120 Seconds on YouTube
References
- ^ "Curators | Flux Art Fair". Flux Art Fair. Retrieved 2016-03-30.
- ^ "Rasu Jilani -". www.beatbrooklyn.com. Retrieved 2016-03-30.
- ^ Admin (25 Sep 2015). "OPEN SPECTRUM COMMUNITY DIALOGUES". Culturebot. Retrieved 30 Mar 2016.
- ^ a b c "Meet Rasu Jilani". The Laundromat Project. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
- ^ "Rasu Jilani, Owner + Creator of Coup d'etat Brooklyn :: 120 Seconds". Vimeo. Retrieved 2016-04-02.
- ^ a b "Meet Rasu Jilani | The Laundromat Project". laundromatproject.org. Retrieved 2016-03-27.
- ^ "Brooklyn Museum". Brooklyn Museum. Retrieved 2016-04-02.
- ^ a b c "Bio and Projects". rasujilani.com. Retrieved 2016-03-27.
- ^ Reader, Brooklyn. "Griots in the Stuy". The Brooklyn Reader. Retrieved 2016-04-02.
- ^ "WATCH: Making Art While Clothing Dries". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 2016-04-02.
- ^ "Arts Innovator: The Laundromat Project, The United States | Americas Quarterly". www.americasquarterly.org. Retrieved 2016-04-02.
- ^ a b c d e f "About | The Laundromat Project". laundromatproject.org. Retrieved 2016-04-02.
- ^ a b "Rasu Jilani". ArtSlant. Retrieved 2016-03-30.