December 8 - December 30

Three Exhibitions:
Nina Talbot
Misa Namekawa
Mohammad Tasneem Shahzad

Opening reception for all artists : Saturday, December 8, 4-6PM

The Williamsburg Art & Historical Center is pleased present three solo shows.

Nina Talbot and Misa Namekawa are both recipients of the BAC-2001 Community Arts Regrant Program from the Brooklyn Arts Council this year. Talbot exhibits "The Complete Shoprite Series" and Namekawa features "Fragile Art". Although both artists work with different media and styles, their interests lie in the diversity of people in New York.

Nina Talbot explores themes deriving from immigrant realities. Through her recent paintings from the "Shoprite" series, Talbot examines the multi-layered facets of the diverse cultures of recent immigrants living in the Brooklyn community, who are often shown wearing their traditional dress, against the mega supermarket backdrop with signs indicating various ethnic foods that can be found in the sections of the store. Talbot has the unique ability to capture the spirit of people in our community in familiar settings and at the same time offer a glimpse of hidden personal realities.

Misa Namekawa placed five-inch-tall plaster versions of the Statue of Liberty on the streets. After pedestrians kicked and stepped on them, she collected the broken pieces, assembled them into their original form, and photographed them. Miss Namekawa started this project in 1999. In some ways the breaking up of a landmark was like a premonition in light of the subsequent tragedy of the World Trade Center. However, the idea of reassembling the broken pieces is symbolic of America's determination to rebuild! We must always be rebuilding and reinforcing our freedom! Misa's point in this project is reinforcement of the idea attached to the Lady Liberty toward this new century. In this symbolic destruction and reconstruction of this famous icon, Namekawa attempts to capture the dynamic of history in her work.

The project "Fragile Art" consists of digital prints 29''x60'' in size and the ensuing video.

This project is made possible in part with public funds from the N.Y. State Council on the Arts.
In Kings County the Decentralization Program is administered by the Brooklyn Arts Council, Inc.(BAC ), and New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.

Tasneem Shahzad is from Pakistan.His special interest lie in graphic arts such as woodcut, lino cut and photography. He likes appealing shapes and colorful landscapes and has acquired mastery of spatial balances and strength of lines in graphics.

He has entered many painting, photography and graphics competitions in which he has won many prizes both at home and abroad. He has studied in several countries since graduating in fine art from university of Peshawar, Pakistan. He has visited Italy, France, Russia, Afghanistan, India, Iran and the USA to attain skills in graphic art, photography, painting and batik. Shahzad has had 15 solo exhibitions and more than 100 group exhibitions in Pakistan and abroad.

In this exhibition Shahzad will display painting, graphic art, photography and batik.Shahzad hopes to open an art gallery and art school in the near future.