New Exhibitions at the Sugar Hill Children's Museum

(November 4, 2019 - Harlem, NY ) – Two new exhibitions are now featured at the Sugar Hill Children’s Museum of Art and Storytelling. Frederick J. Brown: Dreams and the Possibility of… and Tatiana Arocha: Respiro un bosque / I Breathe a Forest.

Frederick J. Brown: Dreams and the Possibility of… , on view through September 27, 2020, celebrates the artwork of pioneering expressionist artist Frederick James Brown (1945-2012). This first major exhibition of Frederick Brown’s work in nearly 20 years features a selection spanning Brown’s nearly 50-year career and diverse stylistic approaches to canvas, the exhibition examines the artist’s conception of “dreams” through three lenses: the imagined landscape, aspiration and possibility, and “the American Dream.” In concert with reflections provided by activist, journalist and founding member of the Last Poets Felipe Luciano, the works of art showcased in Dreams and the Possibility of… explore the themes of ancestry, belief, and culture, all of which, for Brown, were sites where dreams took shape.

This exhibition is co-curated by the artist’s son, Bentley Brown, in collaboration with poet Felipe Luciano and will be paired with a year-long series of public programs and educational initiatives exploring stories of survival and commemoration, dreams of where we have been, where we are headed, and the world of color and sound that could be. Museum visitors can enhance their experience of the exhibition by listening to Felipe Luciano’s poetic narration of the artwork pairing each painting with a favorite song. The narration is accessible via qr code and on the Museum’s website, www.sugarhillmuseum.org/brown-sound.

Tatiana Arocha: Respiro un bosque / I Breathe a Forest, Arocha’s first solo Museum exhibition, immerses viewers in the dense wilderness of South America’s tropical forests. Juxtaposing real specimens, images of rapid devastation, and monumental natural elements, this exhibition powerfully unmasks an anguished cry from the earth and a yearning for nature and its preservation. Through the lens of the bio-political, as well as that of the immigrant longing for her homeland, Arocha reclaims the lands of her native Colombia, using her art to deconstruct and reconstruct endangered natural landscapes that have long since been deforested or decimated.

On view through September 20, 2020 Respiro un bosque / I Breathe a Forest will transform over several months as the artist continues to adorn the fabric murals with gold. Visitors will be able to view live painting sessions, weekly performances, educational programs, and art-making workshops centered on the themes of nature, the environment, and the places we call home. Museum visitors also have to opportunity to enhance their experience of this exhibition by listening to the sounds of the rainforest of Colombia and the artist’s father’s “dialogue with plants” via headphones in the exhibition and on the Museum website, www.sugarhillmuseum.org/arocha-sound.

Heather Hart: The Oracle of Amplitude, open since May 2nd and on view through January 19, 2020, continues to provide a unique exhibition experience for children and families. The exhibition is an independent rooftop, similar to Hart’s own gabled roof from childhood, edging its way into the gallery floor. Visitors are encouraged to interact with the roof as live performances and storytelling sessions are take place regularly within the exhibition.

The Sugar Hill Children’s Museum of Art & Storytelling hours are Thursday – Sunday, 10am until 5pm. Regular admission is free for children up to 8 years of age, $4.00 for children age 9 – 17, students with ID and Seniors (65+) and $7.00 for adults.

About The Sugar Hill Children's Museum of Art & Storytelling

The Sugar Hill Children's Museum of Art & Storytelling is a contemporary art museum for children rooted in principles of social justice. We strive to strengthen our culturally rich neighborhood with a space where children and their families grow and learn about Sugar Hill, and the world at large, through dialogue with artists, art and storytelling. Designed by internationally acclaimed architect David Adjaye, the Museum opened in October of 2015 as the cultural capstone of the Sugar Hill Project, a multi-use building developed by Broadway Housing Communities (BHC) which includes permanent affordable housing for individuals and families, and the Sugar Hill Museum Preschool.

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Contact: Marko Nobles
Marketing & Communications Manager
Sugar Hill Children's Museum of Art & Storytelling
212-568-2030 ext. 235
Mnobles@broadwayhousing.org