OLA of Eastern Long Island is partnering with the North Fork Arts Center on a new art exhibition, The Worker, which “honors the humanity, dignity, diversity, and resiliency of workers, in all forms, across communities,” according to the organizers of the exhibition.
“It invites audiences to expand their understanding of labor beyond the reductive and transactional, offering instead a nuanced and deeply human portrait of those whose work sustains our world.”
An opening reception will be held on Saturday, Oct. 18 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the North Fork Arts Center, 211 Front Street in Greenport. The exhibition will be on view through Nov. 13 and the art is available for purchase, with proceeds going to the artists, OLA and the North Fork Arts Center.
“As artists and civilians, we sometimes feel powerless while bearing witness to our cities being interrogated, and our families, friends, and neighbors being terrorized and mistreated.,” says curator Kelynn Alder. “The Worker is a reminder of not only the artist’s power, but also responsibility, in presenting to the world, in times of peace as well as in crisis, the humanity and dignity of the individual — in this case, our fellow invaluable worker.”
Through a range of 26 unique artists working in many mediums, the works paint a picture of the lived experiences of workers — particularly those within Long Island’s East End Latino and immigrant communities — whose contributions too often go unseen or undervalued.
“This came about after a conversation in East Hampton Village about all the ways you can criminalize someone for using a landscaping tool,” said OLA Executive Director Minerva Perez in a late September interview with The Beacon.
“In these times of division and distraction, this exhibition is a vital reminder of our shared humanity,” she added. “The Worker calls us to pause, to see the people behind the labor and to recognize that dignity, compassion, and community are the true measures of progress. OLA is proud to work in solidarity with community institutions like NFAC and artists, alike, who feel the same.”
“At NFAC, we believe art is whatever makes you proud to be human, and nothing is more human than this OLA show called The Worker, which is centered around the dignity of labor—work as identity, survival, legacy, and pride — brilliantly co-curated by Kelynn Z. Alder and OLA,” says North Fork Arts Center Executive Director Tony Spiridakis.
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