A major new art exhibition “Into the Brightness: Artists from Creativity Explored, Creative Growth & NIAD,” which opens Fri/19 at the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA), celebrates the myriad works of world-renowned artists with developmental disabilities. These contemporary artists present work of incredible power, exuberance, humor, complexity, and joy across multiple mediums and styles.
“Into the Brightness” is the largest museum exhibition in over a decade featuring artists from the three Bay Area institutions — Creativity Explored in San Francisco, Creative Growth in Oakland, and NIAD (Nurturing Independence Through Artistic Development) in Richmond.
Rooted in the idea that making art is a fundamental human practice and form of communication that all people are entitled to,“Into the Brightness” invites visitors to consider these artists’ perspectives on the world through their powerful work across multiple artistic disciplines including painting, sculpture, film, multimedia, textiles, and more.
“Our organizations were founded under the premise that everyone has creative potential that deserves to be nurtured and celebrated,” said Creativity Explored, Creative Growth, and the NIAD Art Center in a joint statement. “The existing and emerging artists from our studios are powerful members of the Bay Area art scene who provide an important lens into how art is a tool for communication, expression, and connection. We’re excited to have worked with OMCA to bring this show to life.”
Visitors of the exhibition are introduced to the three unique institutions and get a glimpse into what studio life is like for the artists. Echoing the creative and lively atmosphere of studio life, a curated kaleidoscopic arrangement of artworks will surround a large table for artists and visitors alike to sit together and be in community.
Visitors also be introduced to Elias Katz and Florence Ludins-Katz, who founded the three Bay Area organizations during the height of the disability rights movement in the 1970s and ’80s.
“The history of Bay Area art is incomplete without recognition of the work and stories of the artists from Creativity Explored, Creative Growth, and NIAD,” said Carin Adams, co-curator of the exhibition and curator of art at OMCA. “This exhibition seeks to shine an overdue light on these artists’ contributions and the integral part they play in our communities. We’re thrilled to have collaborated with the artists, and these studios who provide them with essential resources to express themselves and thrive.”
Don’t miss this stunning exhibition featuring the works of world-class artists now on view at OMCA.
INTO THE BRIGHTNESS: ARTISTS FROM CREATIVITY EXPLORED, CREATIVE GROWTH & NIAD Opens Fri/19. Oakland Museum of California. More info here.
