Monday, March 30, 2009

Takin' it to the Streets of Allentown

During tough economic times, the arts can thrive. Some of our best American art was created during the Depression in the 1930's, which triggered important art movements such as Regionalism, and Social Realism. Artists such as Thomas Hart Benton painted WPA sponsored murals on public buildings. Artists and photographers Ben Shahn, Jacob Lawrence, and Dorothea Lange depicted American life and the realities of living in poverty. These art movements influenced artists all over the world.

Art brings people together, raises our social consciousness, and can trigger and enhance economic development and urban renewal. While our town's only "newspaper" reports on the cut-backs and financial struggles of arts institutions like the Allentown Art Museum and The State Theater, the local community art scene is flourishing, especially in Allentown.

This past Saturday night, in an overflowing reserved space at the House of Chen Restaurant on Hamilton St. in downtown Allentown, a large group of enthusiastic local artists (The Allentown Chen Arts Group) announced and specified plans for a variety of community art events to take place this Spring and Summer, while dining on amazingly dee-lish Malaysian cuisine, thanks to Jenny Chen!
A driving force behind Allentown's street art movement is Allentown artist Duane (Yodi) Vaden, http://yodiobono.spaces.live.com/ who is involved in street theatre, making large puppets, parades, African drumming, youth programs, political activism, and his own fine art.

There are many free outdoor events planned. To mention a few, starting in April on 7th St., the Artists in Action program will be happening every second Sat. of the month. Thanks Pete Lewnes and Yodi. Artists will be on the street in front of local businesses making and selling art, and there will be dancers, musicians, and a teen art program.
The Chen Arts Group is planning Second Saturday artist studio tours, music, and dancing on Hamilton St. And we will be having an indoor fine art show in the lower level community room of the Allentown Art Museum in June.
There will be a Peace Parade in May organized by The Arts Luminarium, a non-profit group. If you are interested in participating, or for more info, check out the Chen Arts Blog. http://www.chenarts.blogspot.com/

Image is Thomas Hart Benton Mural "City Activities" in NYC subway

51 comments:

Angie Villa said...

Oh, I forgot to mention, Yodi does storytelling at the Allentownn public library too!

Foo Foo said...

"WPA sponsored"

Oh those 'foo foos' and their grant money :)

Anonymous said...

Wow, looks like "Somebody" is the #1 Most Influemtial Political Blog in Pennsylvania again this week, cool! Somebody forgot to tell Bill to tell us because I'm sure he would have wanted LVS's real people to stop by and comment on this!

Anonymous said...

LVS's real people

real GOOD people

It's not like the Dali Exhibition said...

This is sooo cool, "The Twist," by Thomas Hart Benton.

Bill Villa said...

I'll say!

Bill Villa said...

Anon 2:08, I was away all day at a marathon 12-hour transcendental meditation session, did I miss anything?

McJudas said...

Sort of a slow day. Where were you doing TM?

Bill Villa said...

Rishikesh (not the one in India, the one off Route 100).

Anonymous said...

Yodi Duane Vaden is a local treasure. This man has been enriching Allentown ever since he moved here in the mid 1980s with an amazing variety of prolific work in many different mediums. Nice that you spotlighted "Yodi."

"OT" Giggle said...

Separated at Birth?

Anonymous said...

That IS remarkable :)

Angie Villa said...

OT Giggle,

funny, but I'd rather not be reminded of that hateful creep, or any local wingnuts at this post, thank you.

Anon, I agree, Yodi is a local treasure and an asset to the Chen group.

Dali, love "the twist!" Thanx

Concerned Citizen said...

Such a nice, gentle post. Kudos. I love it!

Concerned Citizen said...

I love this too :) great idea!

Comment Moderation is on, because, like "Studio 54," we don't let just anybody in, but give it a try, and hopefully you'll see your comment beyond the velvet rope after we approve of you. ;D

Bill Villa said...

Yeah, keeps the riff raff out (so we can stay civil).

Angie Villa said...

Thanks Concerned,

And keeping out the "riff raff" does not mean muzzling dissent. We love a good debate with a neo-con. And there are LOTS of "know it all bullies" trolling the blogs. Some personal attacks on us have been so vile, that we cannot publish them. But back to our topic please.
Here at LVS we hope to bring you a perspective you won't find anywhere else in the local blah blah blahgassmear.

Monkey Momma said...

Allentown needs a heck of a lot more than carefully placed art shows. I'm a supporter of Allentown arts - always have been - but the impact of arts on the community has been maximized. The great work by the Baum (across from the museum) makes 5th street so much prettier. I'd like to see more work done over at 19th by the theatre, too, but it appears this town has two competing arts districts. In any event, Allentown has used arts to energize the area, and I'm sure that will continue. In the mean time, this city needs to go back to basics and learn how to balance budgets before it does anything else. One thing our current spenders-in-chief could learn is that you can NEVER have a surplus if you're always in debt. Getting more debt on Allentown's books is just about the worst thing we can do right now. Anything that doesn't generate cash (even if it's artisitic) needs to be completely off the city's radar right now until our balance sheets have much more green. Right now, the city is in crisis, and all the art in the world ain't gonna save it.

Bill Villa said...

... sort of reminds me how John McCain suspended his presidential campaign and raced to Washington to "fix" the fiscal crisis (wink wink), i.e., McCain was seemingly unable to do more than one thing at a time. And he never did fix that fiscal crisis.

My point being, you speak of "balance" and I couldn't agree more. Balanced budget, balanced books, yep, all good.

But I also think we can be "conservative" and strike a balance w/ spending.

It would be "extreme" to take "everything off the city's radar that doesn't generate cash" until the budget is balanced.

Just my always humble opinion of course.

Angie Villa said...

RE:"Anything that doesn't generate cash (even if it's artisitic) needs to be completely off the city's radar right now until our balance sheets have much more green. Right now, the city is in crisis, and all the art in the world ain't gonna save it."

I disagree. The many local artists who have come together in the spirit of community are generating "social capital" in a downtown that needs it. This in turn generates economic capital. Things are interconnected like that. People will come downtown and spend money. The arts help to revitalize cities like Pittsburgh. The artists are not paid by the city. They volunteer. The arts are more important than ever right now, and if you read my post, history proves this. Instead of just complaining, more people should become part of the solution by getting involved.

Sasha Curvaceaux said...

BILL!! xx (hi angie) is the most humble person I've ever known.

Joshua T said...

I agree 100% w/ Mrs. D, very well stated.

Angie Villa said...

Thanks Joshua T, I think Allentown really needs more social capital to bridge the socio-economic gaps, and ease the ethnic tensions. Volunteering is so important, then people would see that the "perception" of Hamilton St. dscribed in the forum comments and at the negative blogs, is not accurate. Go out and meet people before forming opinions. Arts events bring people together in that way.

Monkey Momma said...

I understand your points. But, when your house is on fire, you don't go shopping for art to hang on the walls.

I would hope that the leadership of Allentown chooses to focus its priorities in order of importance. Balancing the budget and keeping cops on the street is order # 1.

Ordinarily, I would agree that many balls could be up in the air at the same time by our gov't. But...that's not the case in Allentown. I'm glad there are volunteers focused on art in A-town, but I'd rather our elected officials get down to business and save the art shopping for better days.

(BTW - I think you've labeled me a conservative. I'm very liberal - voted for Obama and everything. I'm just a realist, and Allentown could use more of those.)

Bill Villa said...

Well (chuckling), I still think you're being a tad "extreme," albeit in a "liberal" (wink wink) sort of way.

Also, are you getting all your news and perceptions on Allentown from that unholy alliance of The Morning Call "newspaper" (and specifically its "Forum" section) and the majority NeoCon local blogs? Reason I ask is because those folks tend to see the Allentown glass as being half-empty (or, as you say, quarter-filled but w/ gasoline and "on fire"), while so many others of us (i.e., the huge 59% mandate majority who voted for Mayor Pawlowski) tend to see the Allentown glass as being half-full, and no (chuckling again) not w/ beer from the KOZ A-Town Brew Works, but w/ optimism and opportunity.

Call us cRaZy, but we see Allentown Moving Forward Together. To us, things are looking up :)

Now let's talk about your upcoming art purchase ...

Monkey Momma said...

I get my info on Allentown by being in the city most days out of the week. We've been here since 1998, so we're not old-timers, but old enough to have seen the city go from bad to worse, all while being tolwe're in the middle of a revitalization.

Guess what? We're not in the middle of a revitalization. We're on the brink of disaster.

ASD has $60 mil in loans now. And the city of A-town has how much debt? 10 million plus? This is, to put it plainly, NOT GOOD. Not good at all.

I don't have a problem with you guys focusing on the arts - that's cool and I applaud any/all efforts in that regard. But in terms of politics in this city...well, let's just say we need a whole heck of a lot more than our local artists adopting vacant storefronts to turn this city around.

We need local gov't that is laser-beam focused on the bottom line right now. We're in a crisis mode right now, and we'd better start acting like it.

Bill Villa said...

"from bad to worse"
"not revitalization"
"10 million plus debt"
"on the brink of disaster"
"crisis mode"

So do you prefer abstract expressionism or something more "pop" art?

Bill Villa said...

Oh don't mind me, Monkey Momma, I'm just being "flip."

Yes of course we need our leaders to get Allentown fiscally sound. But I know they're on it and I'm trusting them to do a good job.

Angie Villa said...

Many cities are struggling, and I see the reality of our economic crisis. All the more reason to get involved in local politics or in community groups, or to volunteer at a school. I tend to be an optimist and see opportunity where others only see the doom and gloom. I've got a young child and I care about his future, and we have lost a child, So, being fearful or focusing on the negative doesn't help me get through the day. Going out and joining with people who are committed to helping the city, no matter how small that may be in the overall big picture, is important to me. Enriching an ASD student's life with art, may seem unimportant to some people, but in the long run it helps the "bottom line."

Angie Villa said...

Oh I forgot to say, we all have our talents and areas of expertise where we can help in our own way. My areas are art, music, and education. I expect the leaders I have voted for (city councilors, mayor, etc) to use their areas of expertise to make decisions that will benefit us all.

Hogan said...

Bill, thought you'd appreciate, regarding a prior LVS post of yours. Demonstrates how much more seriously other DA's take DUI homicide, compared to our DA Jim Martin, as you've been demonstrating for years now ... keep it up ...

2 Weeks to File Charges in DUI Death

A YEAR to File Charges in DUI Death

Bill Villa said...

Nice catch, thank you.

Hogan said...

Bill, I know you're right about Martin. I also see you being muzzled and shouted down by the very people who should be championing your right to speak and to be heard. I'm sure others see this too. Keep praying for courage and stamina; you're obviously being heard (and answered) on this front.

Bill Villa said...

True.

Watch this video, and don't miss the "surprise" ending.

It demonstrates how hard it is to bring down an entrenched DA.

Drunk DA Hits and Runs From Teenager

To your point, it seems like God's Will definitely needs to be involved. Plus, I accept the challenge and the long-odds against me. I'll get him, it's just a matter of when.

Bill Villa said...

I should clarify, "I'll get him," to deter (and disappoint) those who are muzzling me from twisting this vernacular statement into a handy "threat of violence," as has been done w/ the complicity of DA John Morganelli in a neighboring county.

My goal is to have Lehigh County DA Jim Martin (left) removed from office and from the entrenched position of power he blatantly abuses, w/ impunity, and w/ zero scrutiny from our local media.

I plan to accomplish this by either ...

* helping a Democrat defeat Martin for reelection in 2011

* helping authorized investigatory and disciplinary action boards hold Martin accountable for his wrongdoings by penalizing him

* or (and who can predict God's Will?) there could be a Seward's Cheese Steak involved

Whichever way things go, my end goal for Jim Martin is disbarment-- even if this action takes place after he retires or is executed w/ him "in absentia."

Hopefully we're all on the same page now.

Bill Villa said...

Personal Note to Mike Molovinsky ...

Hey Mike, was that you cowering/hustling out of CVS this morning? It looked like you, but you were running so fast for the door (to get away from me, 10 feet away from you), I wasn't sure. Wink Wink. I'm positive it was you. Hope the Viagra's working out okay. Me, I don't need it. That look on your face was 100% Pure Pusillanimous, btw. Hope to run into you again soon 'round town :) and next time, please don't run away ... we are so overdue for a face-to-face chat.

Lehigh County Democrat said...

My Take...

BEST OF THE BLOGOSPHERE

The quote is from Ned Donovan, son of Allentown City Council Person, Michael Donovan. The comment, and the commentary, is from one freakin' astute "anonymous" ...

" ... my father came out against Mr. O’Hare, something I think he should not have done, but it was done and he has learned from the experience."

Over & Out...

Bill Villa said...

"LCD," I saw that lil beauty earlier over at the "Inclusion by MIchael Donovan" blog. It's thrilling that more & more people are catching on ...

Bill Villa said...

... and that the BNN Ratings
prove it ...

Joshua T said...

Bill, a CVS Store-Cam captured this image of Mike Molovinsky running away from you at CVS earlier today ...

Bill Villa said...

(chuckling), thanks for the giggle "JT," yes, MM did appear to be "crossing the road" as quickly as possible, which was always excellent advice :)

Anonymous said...

I'm skeptical, that chicken image appears to be taller than Mike ("Mighty Mouse") Molovinski!

Anonymous said...

Do you know what the (wink wink) REAL "problem" is here?

The Villas dish it BACK ...

So much BETTER ...

than MM & Company DISH IT (in the first place)

AND THE BAD GUYS HATE THAT!!!

It's that simple.

Bill Villa said...

Touché.

Upcoming Trial Judge's Verdict said...

They can dish it out

but they can't take it.

They're pusillanimous.

Del Shannon said...

(MM) "My little runaway,

a run run run run runaway" :)

Anonymous said...

CHICK-KEN!!

Hayshaken said...

CVS Store-Cam captured this image of Bernie O'Hare in the parking lot ...

Foo Foo said...

Looks like B.O. lost weight since the last time I seen him, he must be in training (wink wink) for a marathon.

Good Idea.

A Flock of Seagulls said...

(hey mighty mouse)

"And I ran, I ran so far away.
I just ran, I ran all night and day.
I couldnt get away."

The Crystals said...

(hey, MM, "3% is like 3")

I met him on a Monday (Friday?)
and my heart stood still

Da doo RUN RUN RUN da doo RUN RUN

Somebody told me that his name was Bill

Da doo RUN RUN RUN da doo RUN RUN