“Current Seen,” an exhibit soon to be shown in the Rochester Contemporary Art Center, is not only about the display of art, but also about uniting Rochester as one.
“‘Current Seen is the evolution of the Rochester biennial, and it was also built on First Friday,” said Bleu Cease, the Director of “Current Seen” and the Executive Director of Rochester Contemporary Art Center. First Friday, a city-wide gallery night, happens monthly.
“Current Seen” is an exhibit for all parts of Rochester. There are exhibits in many areas in Rochester, from the well-known Public Library to local storefronts. There will be more than twenty venues from public art exhibits to small venues and pop-ups. This show is an opportunity for all artists to display their work, from those years of experience to some that have just started their art career.
The idea of “Current Seen” is to broadcast this moment in our changing city. The exhibit will promote artists’ work like “This Heirloom” by Mara Ahmed, who tells her own story with the use of juxtaposition, uniting Rochester as a community. Ahmed’s exhibit will be in the Douglass Auditorium.
“I wanna Roc with You!” a public art piece by Shawn Dunwoody, will be on display on 62 Scio Street. It is a mural that not only adopts the contemporary arts standard but also reflects the city spirit of Rochester.
To enhance the theme of changing cities, a talk called “Whose Streets, Our Streets Film + Discussion” will be given on October 19th at the Douglass Auditorium on King Street.
The event, organized by Calvin Eaton, Tamar Carroll, and Josh Meltzer, will feature photographers born between 1950 and 1970 that have documented the progress of social change in New York from 1980 to 2000.
“We will also have an anti-racist east-west walk that is in partnership with the Frederick Douglass family initiatives,” Cease said. “It will depart from the Frederick Douglass homesite.”
“This is a very cool project all about encouraging people to think about their role in this community,” Cease says.
The “Current Seen” will be open to everyone on October 4th.
