HELL'S KITCHEN — From photography to abstract paintings to vibrant sculptures — nearly 250 artworks by 50 local artists with mental illness will be on display throughout the holiday season, with all work costing less than $100.
The "Small Works" exposition at the Fountain House Gallery will run until Dec. 23 at its Hell's Kitchen location at 702 Ninth Ave.
"There's abstract paintings to figurative works. There's mixed media, there's digital art, there are photographers. Some work is more story-oriented," said gallery director Ariel Willmott describing the diverse exposition.
And while many artists try to engage with the larger art world in their works, those works on display at the Fountain House Gallery are decidedly more introspective, Willmott said.
"They're expressing raw emotion. They're communicating happiness. They're communicating sadness," she said. "You're able to connect their emotions greater because their work is so personal and raw."
The artists displaying work in the holiday show are part of the gallery's artists collective and are involved in programming at the Fountain House nearby, a nonprofit that runs supportive and transitional housing, programs and services for New Yorkers with mental illness.
The Fountain House Gallery is open from Tuesday through Saturday from 11 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
