Harlem is inundated with rich culture and colorful communities from all walks of life. The Walls-Ortiz Gallery and Center provides a community space for people to experience new art, converse and tell stories.
The Walls-Ortiz Gallery forms part of the City Seminary of New York. Located on Frederick Douglass Boulevard, the gallery once served as the original space for the City Seminary of New York school premises. It was named after leading Christian scholars, Andrew Walls and Manuel Ortiz. Both Walls and Ortiz are dedicated to world Christianity and the practice of ministry and harbor a deep commitment to students and scholarship.
The gallery hosts rotating exhibitions every three months that feature a group or collection of artists rather than an individual artist’s exhibition. The gallery’s focus is on community building to reflect the diverse surrounding neighborhood.
The current exhibition is called “Making Us Whole: Lament, Hope and Restoration,” which runs until Nov. 12. The exhibition is an exploration of the process of healing on individual and community levels through the works of Sophia Dawson, Sara Bennett and Molly Gochman.
Dawson’s work is a series of painted collages that address human and political struggle. She documents members of the Central Park Five and depicts the harsh reality of society. Bennett’s black and white photography series documents the lives of four women re-integrating back into society after years served in prison. Gochman’s art uses red sand in a movement to end modern day slavery through a sidewalk social media campaign.
Another way in which the gallery allows the art to live outside the wall space is through a gathering called “Community Conversations.” Neighbors and the surrounding community are invited to talk about relevant issues to the city, tour the gallery space and contribute to a joint art project. The gathering is free of charge and occurs every two weeks.
The gallery is located at 2204 Frederick Douglass Blvd. More information on the gallery and their upcoming events can be found on the City Seminary of New York website at www.cityseminaryny.org or on the Walls-Ortiz Gallery and Center Facebook page.