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Read the press release here.

West Harlem Art Fund Showcases Exhibit on Governors Island

By Jeff Mays | August 25, 2011 9:26am
Works by Luke Schumacher and Colin Chase.
Works by Luke Schumacher and Colin Chase.
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West Harlem Art Fund

HARLEM—The name for the West Harlem Art Fund's show at Governors Island  — "Loosely Coupled"— borrows a concept from the software world, according to the group's executive director Savona Bailey-McClain.

"It's a software term that means getting different elements to work together without overwhelming one another. In the exhibit, different artist's styles compliment but not overwhelm one another," said Bailey-McClain.

Now in its 13th year, the group assembled nine artists for the free exhibit that will be in the historic Nolan Park neighborhood through Sept. 25.

The Governors Island Art Fair exhibit displays the works of artists from all over the city, including Harlem, the Lower East Side and Brooklyn.

A stool made of leather trimmings by Dianne Smith.
A stool made of leather trimmings by Dianne Smith.
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West Harlem Art Fund

"Often people think the art world is Midtown to lower Manhattan, the higher-end galleries. But artists don't live there anymore. Artists live and fabricate their work in Williamsburg, Harlem and the Lower East Side," said Bailey-McClain.

Artists such as Wayne Liu, originally from Taiwan, and sisters Iliana and Scherezade Garcia from the Dominican Republic, along with Luke Schumacher from South Dakota, and Dianne Smith from Harlem continue the diversity, which also extends to the style of work. Ceramics, sculpture, photography and paintings all co-exist.

"Our focus is on good quality art that's accessible to the general public. Our primary goal is to connect with the public," said Bailey-McClain.

Housed in a two-story, 14-room historic house that was built before the Civil War, the exhibit allows visitors to explore the home. They've even had visitors from the last military family to live in the house.

"We had people who came to see the house, but they got to experience the house and the art," said Bailey-McClain.

The exhibit, at 17 Nolan Park on Governor's Island, is open from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sundays through Sept. 25.