Signs of Friendship

Featuring artists from the HAI Art Studio, FEGS,
PROS and Possibilities in Brooklyn.
Meet the Artist Reception | Saturday, September 29, 2012 | 6-9PM
Show Dates: Sep. 29 – Dec. 1

Featuring artists from the HAI Art Studio, FEGS,
PROS and Possibilities in Brooklyn.
Meet the Artist Reception | Saturday, September 29, 2012 | 6-9PM
Show Dates: Sep. 29 – Dec. 1
Gallery Hours: Monday – Saturday, Noon – 6:00 pm
Panel Discussion: Mental Health and the Art of Friendship
Tuesday , Oct. 23, 6-7:30pm

In the spirit of friendship, HAI, FEGS Health and Human Services and the School of Visual Arts worked together to create “Signs of Friendship,” a gallery show featuring the work of artists living with chronic mental illness. The show began when Francis Palazzolo, Creative Director of the HAI Art Studio, reached out to SVA art therapy students and art therapists at FEGS to be part of workshops where artists could explore the theme of friendship. Expressing recognizable signs of friendship between people proved elusive at first, but after peeling back the layers of friendship the artist began to portray relationships between humans, animals, and imaginary friends. Works include images of people casually talking, standing outside smoking, having coffee, holding each other, and sometimes fighting. Many of the works skirt the edges of friendship, exploring attraction or volatile emotional states between friends.

HAI will host a panel discussion on “Mental Health and the Art of Friendship” on Tuesday October 23rd from 6-7:30pm, at the Gallery. The discussion will be facilitated by Michael Friedman, MSW, Adjunct Associate Professor of Columbia University and will feature John Paul Gonzalez of the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene; Heather Kiely, Senior Art Therapist at FEGS Health and Human Services; Francis Palazzolo, Creative Director of the HAI Art Studio; Val Sereno of the School of Visual Arts; and participating artists Raymond Lopez and Girl Frances Negron.