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This exhibition, by Musikfest 2022 poster artist Bart Cooper, is an education and live art installation showcasing powerful, heroic women in American history
BETHLEHEM, Pa.— Faces Int, in partnership with ArtsQuest and United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley, is proud to present “Heroes,” an exhibition by 2022 Musikfest artist Bart Cooper. The exhibition opens on March 18 and will be free to the public seven days a week at ArtsQuest’s Banana Factory Arts Center. The exhibition will be accompanied by virtual seminars exploring topics such as: What is Fine Art, The Business of Art and the Impact of Art, spread across March, April and May. The artist will also host youth educational programs at the artist’s former school in the Whitehall School District.
“When Bart Cooper first showed me the ‘Heroes’ collection it made such an impression, I knew Faces had to help enhance its reach. I am excited to for the impact ‘Heroes’ will have on the Lehigh Valley community. Our partnership with ArtQuest and United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley will enhance the reach of ‘Heroes’ and showcase the power of collaboration to change the narrative.” says COO of Faces Int, Kevin Greene.
“Heroes” is a project of artworks, educational and public programming and outreach events that feature the experimental work of Bart Cooper. The installment invites viewers and attendees to examine heroes in popular culture. Toying the line between the real and fictional worlds, Cooper uses mixed media methods to create portraits of powerful black women, matching them up to suitable Marvel characters to highlight the connection between America’s favorite comic characters, and the country’s history of powerful, gritty, brave black women leaders.
“ArtsQuest is proud to partner with Faces Int and United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley on this community-wide project,” Kassie Hilgert, President & CEO of ArtsQuest said. “We are grateful to have an artist of Bart Cooper’s caliber come back to the Lehigh Valley to inspire the next generation of artists. This exhibition and accompanying educational events will spark creativity and conversations.”
Focusing on themes of social justice and equity, the juxtaposition of each woman and the Marvel characters emphasizes their true power. The powerful black women depicted in the images are met with fine art techniques that are inspiring and moving, as a result of the skilled layering, shading and texture of each image. “Their intelligence, their trials and tribulations, their willingness to lead shows strength and resilience. These people had powers and practiced them rigorously, and not only for themselves, but for others,” says the artist, Bart Cooper.
“It’s exciting to play a role in bringing Bart’s art and timely perspective to the Lehigh Valley,” stated Marci Lesko, Executive Vice President, United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley. “It’s true in the arts, as in our lives, that inclusion, representation and raising diverse voices deepens and strengthens racial equity for our community.”
To kickoff this partnership, Cooper will host a mini residency on February 15 at Whitehall High School (WHS). Cooper, a WHS alum, will lead a variety of activities for WCSD students including artist talks and art-making demonstrations. He will also hold an event for WCSD families in the Whitehall High School Auditorium on Tuesday, February 15 from 7 – 8 p.m. Additional events will be announced throughout the year.
The Heroes Exhibition would like to thank presenting partners PPL Corporation and Lehigh Valley Community Foundation, as well as community partners Crayola, Moravian University, United Way Women United, Penn State Lehigh Valley, Capital Blue Cross and People First Federal Credit Union.
To learn more about the “Heroes” project, programming and artwork, visit heroeslv.com.
About Bart Cooper:
WHS Alumni, Cooper is a graduate of the class of 1997. Currently a Los Angeles
based multidimensional contemporary artist born and raised in West Africa, Liberia. Inspired by his country’s vibrant colors and breathtaking scenery, a three-year-old Bart began to visually record the world around him. Fleeing Liberia at the start of the civil war, Bart moved to the United States where he studied fine art, sculpture and graphic design. Greatly influenced by Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci, American illustrator Norman Rockwell and American artist Ernie Barnes, he began his pursuit to push the boundaries on the evolution of art and creativity. A reflection of growing up with customary African values in a westernized American culture, Bart’s work merges the traditional with the technological. His signature mixed medium, acrylic style is quickly emerging in the contemporary scene and has already gained him several celebrity clients and private collectors both nationally and internationally. “I’m not just an artist, I’m a creator. I was put here to create. To challenge your physical, mental, and spiritual growth. The foundation of my work is all about the message of love. Each individual piece has a conversation with the viewer’s soul, provokes thought, changes the narrative, and inspires you to evolve. It’s all about evolution.”
About Faces Int
Faces Int Mission is to enhance the brand, public relations and company culture of our clients. As a marketing, advertising and staff development company based in the Lehigh Valley Faces has committed to the equitable growth and success of the Lehigh Valley.
About ArtsQuest
ArtsQuest’s mission is to provide access to exceptional artistic, cultural and educational experiences using arts and culture as key elements of economic development for our urban communities. ArtsQuest™ supports this mission via the presentation of performing and visual arts, film, arts education classes and outreach, youth programming and cultural events.
Through festivals such as its flagship event, Musikfest; the Banana Factory Arts Center; and the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks arts and cultural campus, ArtsQuest’s programming reaches more than 1.9 million people annually. The organization’s programs and events, approximately 50 percent of which are free to attend, have a combined economic impact of more than $136 million annually in the region. ArtsQuest is a proud member of NIVA, the National Independent Venue Association and NATO, the National Association of Theatre Owners.
About United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley
United Way fights for the health, safety and education of every person in the Greater Lehigh Valley and envisions communities where every person belongs and every person thrives.
We strive to achieve this goal by assessing community needs, raising funds, investing in solutions and mobilizing our community to action. For more information, visit UnitedWayGLV.org.
Information provided to TVL by:
Nicole Harrell
ArtsQuest Director of Communications
http://www.artsquest.org/
