Freedom to Create, Empowering Women Art Exhibiton.

Favianna Rodriguez- 'Fight Patriarchy' The small print on the painting says 'of the 50 Million displaced from their homelands, 80% are women and children. Of the 1.3 Billion of people living on less than $1 per day 70% are women. SECOND PART- Sex trafficking is one of the highest grossing industries world wide. Among the hungriest people of the world 60% are women.

I was asked last minute, to go to a 'Freedom to Create' Forum and opening of the 'Freedom to Create exhibition in New York, at the Ana Tzarev Galley 24 W57th Street.
'Freedom to create' describe themselves as a vehicle to 'enable the world to realise it's potential', they consider Art as the 'universal language that has the power to create, communicate, inspire, comfort and counsel.'

It is through art- 'a non threatening and non-controversial interaction' that they focus, on societies that face political repression, intolerance, ignorance and religious extremism which inhibit creative expression, especially for women. And it is from these societies which exhibit in the gallery today.

All have a message, and something to inform us of, this is just a mere selection of some of the injustice faced today, facing both men, women and children. It is a moving exhibition, showing painful scenes which would never make the evening news, and sometimes not even the debate table.
The empowerment of the oppressed is something I believe strongly in, and this brave exhibition in this melting pot that is New York, is contributing to help breaking the barriers and championing creative, economic and political freedoms. Some of the artists were expelled from their homeland as a result of their art.

Hana Hajjar- Satire with Paul the predicting octopus.

 This is Hana Hajjar, from Saudi Arabia, whose cartoons often depict the difficult situations Saudi women find themselves,"I think men have put women in an unfavorable position in this part of the world. They've put women in an oppressive situation," said Hana, She works for a English language newspaper Arab news. Although women are not often outspoken in the Arab world Hana says she has faced no repercussions of her work.

Fernando Moleres- African Children in prison.

This is one of the photographs of a child in an African jail, though not sure where in Africa. There are Laws against the persecution of children, but despite this, they are placed in cells with adults. The pictures are painful and graphic. Many are orphaned and of course poor. One can only hope these photo's do what they are intended: to make the Government to review the laws, so that these children might lead better lives.

Abir Abdullah- Bangladesh "Shattered faces'

These two graphic images are of women were facially disfigured from acid attacks because they refused a mans sexual advances or marriage proposals.
This particular ladies face haunts me, as she still looks quite scared and afraid, still, with the love for her child in her arms, she holds it up to her face as if to heal.
The photographer hopes that these images raise awareness on the brutality against these women, and hope that the men involved see this and will  deter them from taking such a cruel and inhumane step.

Abir Abdullah- Bangladesh- "Shattered Faces'

There were also stinging things that I learned, Maureen Burdock- who makes graphic art called the 'F Word Project' had a comic strip which detailed 3 women wearing the Hijjab, one women said 'My husband thought I was staring at other men, so he hurt my eyes' and another said 'My husband thought other men were looking at me, so he cut off my nose' both women, were drawn with eyes gouged and nose missing respectively. Her art is designed to increase awareness of Women's struggles around the world. Dealing with female infanticide, honour killing and sexual abuse, she says 33% of girls have been molested before the age of 18 in the USA.

There are many more injustices detailed in this one floor art show, and such creative ways to portray them, music, dancing, performance art, theatre are only a few. I haven't even talked about the competition and the winners, because in fact all at the exhibition seem like winners and all such worthy issues and causes. If you get a chance, go check it out, it's Free and it will be in NYC until April 23rd, then it will move to Mumbai, India. It has already been to London, Hong Kong, Harare and Kabul.

Freedom to Create really does host the uncomfortable reality of so many lives but as the exhibition aims it also hosts the voices of courage, reconciliation, strength, unity, healing and hope, very inspiring and so much to be grateful for, and to speak up for!

St Patrick and the fun parade/day created by Irish-Americans

Saint Patrick's Day in New York begins at 11am when the parade starts to a rather (early-ish- by Uk standards) finish at 10/11 in the bars in NY, (though they will have started to drink at 4pm probably) it's such a great vibe, of music and celebration, in a sea of green clothes-  me included!
If you don't wear green apparently people pinch you affectionately.. I'm guessing on the cheek- I'm also guessing they're the ones on your face. :)

For once my brown face and British accent, with my green jumper, were just a glimpse in the crowd.

Sadly I haven't always had the same tolerance at home if I am totally honest, I felt more comfortable here, alone in the crowds with my camera, than I would in the UK or in the parade in London.
It was so mixed in diversity and socially (and drinking hadn't started), people encouraged you to take part in the cheers and shouting to the walkers in the parade.

Firefighters of Manhattan

Firefighters of Brooklyn and Queens

Army and Navy- no pun to the shop intended..

All those in service in someway were in the parade, firefighters, police, army, navy, air force, even sanitation people. I think it'd be nice to celebrate these people who keep us safe and clean too in London, it's a great way to recognise their service in a happy and fun way rather than just memorial days.
There were a number of schools and marching bands from all over the country, as well as some Irish counties being represented, and some political figures of New York dotted in here and there.

NYC Police in shades...

When the drinking did start  everyone was singing along with the tunes in the bars, the men in uniform pretty much had their pick of the ladies, and I'm sure the ladies in uniform benefited too and everyone was in a great mood! One big street party... almost!

So from living so close to Ireland for so much of my life, I realise that I knew nothing really of the story of St Patrick, then a wise lady on Facebook, informed me that St Patrick's Day and all it's festivities were invented by the Americans?!

Music!

Dancing!

Surely not, I thought but on the national geographic website Phillip Freeman of the Luther College of Iowa describes: St Patrick wasn't even Irish, but born in Britain. "At 16, Patrick's world turned: He was kidnapped and sent overseas to tend sheep as a slave in the chilly, mountainous countryside of Ireland for seven years.
According to folklore, a voice came to Patrick in his dreams, telling him to escape. He found passage on a pirate ship back to Britain, where he was reunited with his family.
The voice then told him to go back to Ireland.
"He gets ordained as a priest from a bishop, and goes back and spends the rest of his life trying to convert the Irish to Christianity," Freeman said.
Patrick's work in Ireland was tough—he was constantly beaten by thugs, harassed by the Irish royalty, and admonished by his British superiors. After he died on March 17, 461, Patrick was largely forgotten. But slowly, mythology grew around Patrick, and centuries later he was honored as the patron saint of Ireland."
Freeman agrees "St. Patrick's Day was basically invented in America by Irish-Americans".
This is probably true, because the majority of Irish immigrants, who numbered one in four back then, in the US were Protestant and so would not have celebrated this as a religious festival. But more as a connection to their homeland. And invent a good time they did! Of course it's celebrated in Ireland, but it's called a festival, looks very creative and inclusive too- heres some pic's from Dublin this year.

Today in New York it felt you didn't have to be Irish to take part; besides, St Patrick wasn't Irish either!

Become your Dream; Central Park Advice...

"Become Your Dream"

Spring is almost here and I'm walking through Central Park yesterday to see how different it all looks and every 20 paces I see this on the ground..  notice the chalked in fish..very cool, I thought, from the advice of the philisophical artists of NYC.

After seeing many squirrels almost running about insane, I saw quite a few with a tail ripped to shreds and some with no busy tail left at all. It was suggested that these may be the Raccoons in the park- I've never seen one, but there are warnings of rabies on posters all over the park, incase one should bite you or your dog.

Also something quite different with parks in London, they have haystacks tied to the trees and lamp posts to ensure a softer landing from all the sledging downhill during the snow.. which hopefully is over for this year..they're still in place though..

Spring like haystacks.

Dhol drumming with Jazz infusion plays Christmas

Outside the religious church stood this bloke

For all the fun things to do in New York for free, we found this one.
We went to a very cool Winter Festival near the Lincoln Center, near our 'hood' last week,

Streets were lined with food from local restaurants doing cheap deals, to entice people to have a taster and then go eat at the restaurant properly.

Nice Ice Sculptures- Nutcracker bloke I think?

There were Ice Sculptures courtesy of the religious folk of Lincoln Center, and saw some very fun dancing and singin around the Christmas Tree, done cheerleader style.

People of New York giving Bhangra a go.. bless em

while the band play

It was also a harvest, so we bought tins of food and we also got to see a Dhol player with a five piece brass band for free for a good long while! I know it sounds odd, but it worked. T'was fab.