“How Will They Know Us”: Manhattanville Features Iraqi/American Mural Project

The Berger Gallery at Manhattanville College is pleased to announce its featured exhibit  “How Will They Know Us”: An Iraqi/American Mural project from the Iraqi Children’s Art Exchange (ICAE), from Oct. 4 to Nov. 4, 2011.

The exhibit will include a sampling of acrylic-on-canvas murals painted over a three-year period by Iraqi and American youth ages 8-18. “How Will They Know Us” emerged from a union of ICAE with Art Miles Murals, an international project in support of the UNESCO Decade of Peace and Non-violence Among Children of the World: 2000-2010.

Working with groups of Iraqis in Baghdad, Amman, Jordan and Troy, New York as well as with youth and collaborating artists in six states a total of 12 murals and 17 smaller works were created. In the murals participants were asked to define themselves and their communities and to establish personal and collective identity.

An opening reception and a talk with founder Claudia Lefko will be held Saturday, October 5 at 4:30 p.m. The exhibit will be housed in the Berger Gallery in the Berman Students Center on the Manhattanville campus from October 4, 2011-November 4, 2011. Gallery hours are available at www.manhattanville.edu/gallery.

ICAE was founded in 2001 by artist and activist Claudia Lefko in Northampton, MA. Lefko began working on behalf of Iraqi children in the mid-'90s. ICAE invites Iraqi and American children and youth to participate in art-inspired projects. Projects create learning opportunities to foster communications and promote peace and reconciliation.