The New Rochelle Council on the Arts presents “Freedom! A 150 Year Commemoration of the Emancipation Proclamation” at the Rotunda Gallery from February 19th through March 31st. The show, which invited artists to explore the themes of freedom in every day life -- on the national front and in the global community -- features works by Murray Beaver, Cristina Cerone, Robert Cotnoir, Anne Therese Dillen, Cecelia Duncan, Livia Gus, Ellen Lazarus, Barbara Levine, Maristela Margutti, Lisa Post, Wendy Vigroux, Judith Weber, Hubert Williams and John Wright. NRCA, which manages the Rotunda Gallery, will host an artists’ reception for the exhibit on Tuesday, February 19th from 6 to 8 pm. The Rotunda Gallery is located on the first floor of New Rochelle’s City Hall at 515 North Avenue. Gallery hours are weekdays from 10 am to 4 pm. For additional information visit www.newrochellearts.org.
The exhibition celebrates the signing by President Abraham Lincoln of the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, tying into the theme for this year’s Black History Month, "At the Crossroads of Freedom and Equality: The Emancipation Proclamation and the March on Washington". The theme references both the Jubilee of the Proclamation and the 50th anniversary of the March for Jobs and Freedom. As President Barack Obama noted in his proclamation of Black History Month, “In America, we share a dream that lies at the heart of our founding: that no matter who you are, no matter what you look like, no matter how modest your beginnings or the circumstances of your birth, you can make it if you try. Yet, for many and for much of our Nation's history, that dream has gone unfilled. For African Americans, it was a dream denied until 150 years ago, when a great emancipator called for the end of slavery. It was a dream deferred less than 50 years ago, when a preacher spoke of justice and brotherhood from Lincoln's memorial. This dream of equality and fairness has never come easily -- but it has always been sustained by the belief that in America, change is possible.”
NRCA was created by the New Rochelle City Council in 1975 to stimulate and encourage the study and presentation of the performing and fine arts and the public’s interest and participation therein. NRCA has worked to fulfill that mission by sponsoring art exhibitions, theatrical productions, dance recitals, film screenings, lectures, and concert series as well as city-wide events like ArtsFest and the Sound Shore Shakespeare Festival. This season NRCA programs are made possible, in part, by ArtsWestchester with funds from Westchester County Government, the City of New Rochelle, and the support and participation of NRCA’s membership. For more information on how to become a member visit NRCA on the web at www.newrochellearts.org.