Shanequa Benitez, a mix-medium artist and Yonkers Arts”™ first Artist in Residence, will be unveiling her series of work on the historical topic and issues of redlining. Across the work in the exhibition, exploring redlining and its effects in Yonkers ”” one of the last cities in the United States that battled desegregation lawsuits up until the early ”™90s are revealed.
The Artist in Residence program is the result of a partnership between Yonkers Arts and the Municipal Housing Authority of Yonkers, which is supported by the Mulford Corp.
Redlining is defined as a discriminatory practice that consists of the systemic denial of services that has negatively impacted the lives of people of color since its inception in 1933. In preparation, Benitez spent a large portion of her time in her residency researching this topic to fully understand all facets of the issue. “When I start new work my first question to self is, ”˜How do I feel?”™ The process usually starts with reference materials. I like using books, magazines, tv, current events and real-life experiences. I consider my work multidisciplinary. I reject the traditional standards of composition and design while conveying emotion and meaning rather than reality,” explained Benitez.
Benitez”™s exhibition will be the first ”˜solo-exhibition”™ as the Yonkers Arts artist in residence, featured at the Yonkers Arts Project Space & gallery. “I couldn”™t think of a better way to kick-off Black History Month than to feature this exhibition shedding light on a stain of our city”™s history,” said Ray Wilcox, executive director of Yonkers Arts. “It”™s simply amazing to witness the amount of research, work and passion Shanequa put into this project. The art pieces are responses to recent historical events ”“ how could we resist this conversation starter?”
This exhibition will be on view on Thursdays from 6 to 9 p.m. and Saturdays from noon to 4 p.m. in the Yonkers Arts Project Space at 216 Lake Ave. in Yonkers through April 7.
