LOWER EAST SIDE — An art show Thursday will bring the works of young photographers to the Lower East Side while raising funds for local non-profit Henry Street Settlement.
Yolk NY Inc. is presenting the exhibition TWO at Grotto Italian restaurant on Forsyth Street with images from 11 chosen artists who are all under 30. This is the second major fundraiser for Yolk, a non-profit itself that aims to support and celebrate young artists while creating a philanthropic culture in that community.
"The photography in the show represents an interpretation of this youthful culture of constant creativity that we feel is representative of Yolk…" said Yolk president and co-founder Susan Pelletier. Yolk was founded in the summer of 2011 by her and five other New Yorkers.
Pelletier and Yolk's board of directors sorted through six months worth of submissions to find the artists who would best suit the show.
"We allowed them [the artists] to submit their best work, what they wanted to show," said Pelletier, a 22-year-old writer. The artists include the 19-year-old New York-based Sandy Honig and another New York dwelling photographer Molly Adams.
The event will raise money for the Abrons Arts Center, part of the Henry Street Settlement, and will subsidize the center's art, theater and dance classes for young people, Pelletier said.
"It [Henry Street Settlement] has been around in New York for so long, providing a safe haven and opportunity for the people of the Lower East Side," said Pelletier. "It is over a hundred years old."
A $15 minimum donation will be taken at the door as well as 10 percent of food and drinks sales from Grotto and 40 percent from artwork sales on the night will make up the funds for the Abrons Arts Center.
TWO is the second major fundraising event for Yolk. Not surprisingly the first event last year was entitled ONE and rolled out a painting exhibition at the TriBeCa Grand hotel.
Yolk is currently taking submissions through its website for the next fundraiser, THREE, which will be magazine scheduled to be released in December. The organization is seeking fiction, non-fiction, poetry and photos for the one-off publication.
TWO will take place at Grotto, 100 Forsyth Street, on Thursday Aug. 2 from 9 p.m. to 12 p.m.
