The Artist known as Art 1 exhibiting at the LeRoy Neiman Art Center in 'Changing the Game'
The Artist known as Art 1 exhibiting at the LeRoy Neiman Art Center in ‘Changing the Game’

This weekend, New York is all about basketball from the Barclays Center to Madison Square Garden, the Apollo Theater to the free Kanye West concert at Flatiron Plaza. But art is also part of the equation during NBA All Star Weekend, and one of the exhibits includes the artwork of not only local artists, but the players and their families.

The Arts Horizons LeRoy Neiman Art Center exists through a generous grant from LeRoy Neiman, an American artist known for his expressionist paintings of musicians and athletes. The Art Center’s mission is to strengthen the community through the arts by providing equitable arts access for all ages.

The exhibit, “Changing the Game,” is a collaboration between The Arts Horizons LeRoy Neiman Art Center and the group Defending Your Dream, Inc. with a focus on challenging the media’s interpretation of young African American male sports professionals, showing their “vast and varied” artistic, cultural and educational talents. Below is a recap of the artists in the exhibit:

Changing the Game is the current exhibit at the Arts Horizons LeRoy Neiman Art Center in Harlem
Changing the Game is the current exhibit at the Arts Horizons LeRoy Neiman Art Center in Harlem. On the left wall are three paintings by the artist TAFA; followed by the artist Billi Kid and Art 1

Michael J. Singletary

Artist, Filmmaker, Radio & Television Producer and Artist - Michael J. Singletary
Artist, Filmmaker, Radio & Television Producer and Artist – Michael J. Singletary

Michael J. Singletary’s work has been featured in several of the Spike Lee films.  He is also known for his Jazz Series of over one hundred paintings “celebrating jazz and the people who play the music.”

D’ Wade aka Dwayne Wade

Dwyane Wade - Miami Heat Basketball Player & Artist
Dwyane Wade – Miami Heat Basketball Player & Artist

Artist D’ Wade is also known as the Miami Heat basketball player Dwayne Wade. Who knew? Mr. Wade’s collection In The Paint:  The Wade Collection, which was exhibited at Wynwood’s Brisky Gallery during Art Basel Miami Beach this past year, curated by Billi Kid, is also in this exhibit.

Billi Kid

Artist Billi Kid
Artist Billi Kid

Jennifer and Rod Ivy, Parents of Coach Royal Ivy

Visual artist Jennifer Ivey is the Mother of Royal Ivey
Visual artist Jennifer Ivey is the Mother of Royal Ivey. Photo by Lynn Lieberman.

Royal Terence Ivey, current assistant coach for the Oklahoma City Blue and former basketball player was born in Harlem. His very talented parents each have art in this exhibit. Visual artist Jennifer Ivey and Rod Ivey, whose father was also an artist.

Visual artist Rod Ivey
Visual artist Rod Ivey

Boris Diaw (San Antonio Spurs)

The photographs of the San Antonio Spurs Boris Diaw
The photographs of the San Antonio Spurs Boris Diaw

Harlem Globetrotter Bobby Hunter

The Harlem Globetrotters Bobby Hunter
Paintings by The Harlem Globetrotters’ Bobby Hunter

TAFA

Artist TAFA
Artist TAFA

LeRoy Neiman

Known for his brilliantly colored paintings of athletes, one wall of the Center that bears his name is devoted to his basketball paintings
Known for his brilliantly colored paintings of athletes, LeRoy Neiman has one wall of the center that bears his name is devoted to his basketball paintings
LeRoy Neiman self portrait
LeRoy Neiman self portrait

The Center is located at 2785 Frederick Douglass Blvd. at 148th Street. Opening Reception for ‘Changing the Game’ is today Friday, February 13th from 6pm to 9pm. The exhibit is open through February 28th. A portion of the sale of artwork will go to support local charities pertinent to their mission.

You can contact the Author at AFineLyne.