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 Centerâs mission is to strengthen the community through the arts by providing equitable arts access for all ages.
The exhibit, âChanging the Game,â is a collaboration between The Arts Horizons LeRoy Neiman Art Center and the group Defending Your Dream, Inc. with a focus on challenging the mediaâs interpretation of young African American male sports professionals, showing their âvast and variedâ 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. 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 â Michael J. Singletary
Michael J. Singletaryâs work has been featured in several of the Spike Lee films. Â He is also known for his Jazz Series of over one hundred paintings âcelebrating jazz and the people who play the music.â
Dâ Wade aka Dwayne Wade
Dwyane Wade â Miami Heat Basketball Player & Artist
Artist Dâ Wade is also known as the Miami Heat basketball player Dwayne Wade. Who knew? Mr. Wadeâs collection In The Paint: Â The Wade Collection, which was exhibited at Wynwoodâs Brisky Gallery during Art Basel Miami Beach this past year, curated by Billi Kid, is also in this exhibit.
Billi Kid
Artist Billi Kid
Jennifer and Rod Ivy, Parents of Coach Royal Ivy
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
Boris Diaw (San Antonio Spurs)
The photographs of the San Antonio Spurs Boris Diaw
Harlem Globetrotter Bobby Hunter
Paintings by The Harlem Globetrottersâ Bobby Hunter
TAFA
Artist TAFA
LeRoy Neiman
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 paintingsLeRoy Neiman self portrait
The Center is located at 2785 Frederick Douglass Blvd. at 148th Street. Opening Reception for âChanging the Gameâ 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.
