THE MIDNIGHT MISSION

Sometimes when a message needs to be said, art is the best way to say it.


“Sometimes when a message needs to be said, art is the best way to say it.”
By Luna George

“Skid Row is virtually synonymous with poverty, violence, and homelessness but in the midst of struggle also lies genuine humanity stripped down to its core. Faces of Skid Row is a fundraiser and exhibition to bring awareness and to benefit those currently living homeless in the Skid Row area in Downtown Los Angeles” says Juxtapoz.com. On October 23, 2010 from 6 to 9 pm Crewest will host a huge fundraiser benefiting the Midnight Mission, an organization dedicated to providing Skid Row residents with shelter, housing, educational services and job placement. A $10 dollar donation will be asked at the door in which all proceeds made at the door will be generously donated to The Midnight Mission by Crewest. Those wishing to attend must RSVP their attendance to skidrow@crewest.com. In addition, 10% of all art and merchandise proceeds will also be donated to The Midnight Mission by Crewest. All are welcome to attend and participate.



By Preston Craig


“Crewest, a Los Angeles-based art gallery, bears witness to the struggles of the residents of Skid Row. Faces of Skid Row, the first exhibition presented by Curator Luna George, showcases the most appealing illustrators, sculptors, street artists, fine artists, graffiti artists and photographers inspired by the experience of being homeless in downtown Los Angeles” states Sonali of Uprising Radio in a radio interview with Luna George.

In a recent statement made by Curator Luna George, George states, “The concept of Faces of Skid Row was created because there was a heart-felt and serious need to help those living on Skid Row. Bringing together this diverse group of artists was the best way I could accomplish getting the message out to the public to help the people of Skid Row. These artists have a way of creating works that capture your eye because it’s fresh, bold and appealing to today’s eye. Sometimes when a message needs to be said, art is the best way to say it…All artists in the show were carefully selected for Faces of Skid Row due to a charismatic talent each possess within their specific genre. Each artist has been carefully observed over the years and the curator knew this show would be perfect for them to express and display their charismatic works for the public to enjoy and to appeal to all senses.”


By Eriberto Oriol


Creating possibility in someone that moves them to action where that possibility did not exist before is the underlying purpose of Faces of Skid Row. At this time, the exhibition itself has caught the attention of local university students who have become inspired to participate in helping those living on Skid Row. The exhibition and curator hope to further its efforts and inspire others to join in on October 23, 2010 at Crewest.


Exhibiting Artists:

Bob Motown, Branded, Dash, Dave Kawano, Enik, Eriberto Oriol, Estevan Oriol, Euth, Ezra, Graham Walzer, Gregg Stone, James Gillette, Juan Balandran, Lalo Alcaraz, Man One, Michael Pizarro, Mike Street, Oscar Magallanes, Philip Lumbang, Preston Craig, Shing Yin Khor, Smear, Thomas the Messenger, Two Rabbits, Mas, Ruthie Pie, Mason Brown


Crewest is located at 110 Winston St., Los Angeles, CA 90013 and can reached at 213-627-8272 or via email at info@crewest.com. Their website is at: www.crewest.com.

Fundraiser Night is sponsored by: Jarritos, Roaring Lion Energy Drink, Urth Caffe, Earth Café and Big Man Bakes.


Media Contact: Luna George
luna@crewest.com
818-235-4598



By Thomas the Messenger

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"THE POWER OF ART" SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2010

Through art, messages can be heard.

Creating possibility in someone that moves them to action where that possibility did not exist before, is the "Power of Art" we are experiencing.



On behalf of Crewest and Curator Luna George you are cordially invited to experience the "Power of Art" a fundraising event in conjunction wuth the currently runnin exhibition "Faces of Skid Row" benefiting The Midnight Mission and those who are currently living on Skid Row:

Date of Event:
Saturday, October 23, 2010

Time:
6 - 9 pm

Where:Crewest Gallery
110 Winston St.
Los Angeles, CA 90013
(213) 627-8252

RSVP to skidrow@crewest.com

Entertainment Schedule:
With live painting by Sergio Rodriguez and live music by DJ Phyz Ed


Works by:

Bob Motown, Branded, Dash, Dave Kawano, Enik, Eriberto Oriol, Estevan Oriol, Euth, Ezra, Graham Walzer, Gregg Stone, James Gillette, Juan Balandran, Lalo Alcaraz, Man One, Michael Pizarro, Mike Street, Oscar Magallanes, Philip Lumbang, Preston Craig, Shing Yin Khor, Smear, Thomas the Messenger, Two Rabbits, Mas, Ruthie Pie and Featured artist Mason Brown



Delightful treats for the evening:

Complimentary delicious cupcakes donated by:
Big Man Bakes

Complimentary Tasty Vegan Cheesecakes donated by:
Earth Café

Refreshments provide by:
Jarritos and Roaring Lion Energy Drink

Fundraising Detail:
We are asking for a $10 donation at the door.

100% of door donations and 10% of all art and merchandise sales will all go to The MidnightMission on this night.


We leave you with the following, click to read entire story and see you on Saturday:

"New Art Exhibit Shows 'Faces of Skid Row" - Uprising Radio

"Skid Row is virtually synonymous with poverty, violence, and homelessness but in the midst of struggle also lies genuine humanity stripped down to its core" - Juxtapoz.com

"New exhibit showcases life on Skid Row" - USC Daily Trojan

Click here to view available works online

Artwork inquiries can be directed to info@crewest.com.







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SKID ROW BY MIKE THE POET





We were truly lucky to have Mike the Poet, a spoken word artist and performer, come out at the Opening of Faces of Skid Row on October 2, 2010. His performance had energy and his words were powerful. The truth was spoken.

We would like to share the following piece by Mike the Poet "Skid Row" which was exclusively written for the his "Faces of Skid Row" opening night performance:

Skid Row
By Mike the Poet

Skid Row intersects
With the Toy District
But don’t get it twisted
It’s no place for kids.
Skid Row shrinks & grows
When the sun sets.
The industrial back streets
Of Skid Row by day
Do brisk business.
Hong Kong Wholesale,
Apparel, Textile Warehouses,
Underground sweatshops,
Fabric stores & Fish Markets.
When commerce closes down
go the metal garage doors
And out come the homeless.
By day they can be found in
Single-room occupancies,
Basketball courts, porta-potties,
Brick buildings & back alleys.
The Midnight Mission &
League of Women
are a small safety net.
Still not nearly enough beds,
Cardboard boxes
Are used instead;
Spread over 10 square blocks.
Lighters flicker on & off,
Some are here on purpose,
Some on accident &
Some were left.
All of them are
Sleeping with
One eye open,
Trash cans on fire,
Packs of tents,
The brave ones sleep alone.
It’s a short distance between
Heaven & hell
Along the Nickel.
Los Angeles Street
Is the Berlin Wall --
A liminal thoroughfare
East of Luxury Loft Land.
Steps away from
Adaptive Reuse,
A few blocks away
From Pussy & Pooch.
Ice Skating in Pershing Square,
The Oscars at the Biltmore,
Hybrid Showroom-Boutiques
In the Historic Core are next door
To Skid Row watering holes.
This has happened before
On the Lower Eastside &
San Francisco’s Mission District.
Redevelopment or Gentrification.
How do we reconcile
these merging worlds?
If we had the answers
Would Skid Row still be here?
Would they sleep somewhere else?
Would they sleep in the River?
To those stressed about the homeless,
What do you suggest?
People aren’t garbage,
They can’t be swept
In the recycling bin.
Furthermore the homeless
Were here before the lofts,
They were here before
The Art Walk.
They are a product of
Trickle Down Economics,
A product of the free market.
Emerson spoke of the Over-SouL
Today’s man is much more cold,
We are the richest country in the world,
But you’d never know on Skid Row..
Skid Row intersects
With the Toy District
But don’t get it twisted
It’s no place for kids.

Please visit Mike the Poet at: http://www.myspace.com/mikethepoet

Faces of Skid Row Exhibition will be on view through October 31st. Come on by! Don't miss out on our fundraiser night on October 23, 2010 from 6-9 pm.

For more info, email us at info@crewest.com

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PRESS RELEASE: FACES OF SKID ROW



PRESS RELEASE
September/27/2010

For Immediate Release
Media Contact:
Luna George
818.235.4598
luna@crewest.com


“We have homeless women, men, children, the young and the elderly, roaming the streets in Downtown Los Angeles without a home or shelter for the night or a cot to sleep in. Food is scarce and hard to come by to the homeless. We have those who are ill or who have been injured and most have very little medical resources if any at all.

We have seen these homeless people, whether sitting on the curbside picking at their dead skin on their hands or covered in a cardboard shelter for the evening. People of L.A., you are invited to explore the Faces of Skid Row and to participate in a large fundraiser for The Midnight Mission to benefit those living homeless.”



Los Angeles, CA – Crewest and Curator Luna George are proud to present Faces of Skid Row. Faces of Skid Row is an exhibition and fundraiser for The Midnight Mission to bring awareness and focus on the homeless living in the Skid Row area in Downtown Los Angeles. The exhibition’s artwork aims to raise questions to its viewers as to what we can do to further help the people of Skid Row. The artists in this exhibition are all LA based and form an eclectic union of diverse genres. Graffiti artists, photographers, illustrators, sculptors, street artists and fine artists have all come together as one to bring you an exhibition full of sincerity, hope, reality, essence and bringing forward core issues revealed through eye-catching, heartfelt art. The Opening Reception will take place Saturday, October 2nd, 2010 from 6pm to 9 pm and will feature a live spoken word performance by Mike the Poet who has written a piece exclusively for the show. His words are powerful and will affect the heart and the mind. The Exhibition runs through October 31st, 2010.

Curator Statement:
The concept of Faces of Skid Row was created because there was a “heart-felt and serious need to help those living on Skid Row” says curator Luna George. “Bringing together this wonderful group of artists was the best way I could accomplish getting the message out to help the people of Skid Row. These artists have a way of creating pieces which captures your eye because it’s fresh, bold and definitely different. Sometimes when a message needs to be said, art is the best way to say it.” Faces of Skid Row marks the very first curatorial work presented by Luna George. All artists in the show were carefully selected by the curator due to a charismatic talent each possess within their specific genre. Each artist has been carefully observed over the years and the curator knew this show would be perfect for them to express and display their charismatic works for the public to enjoy.

In the Featured Artist Room:
Mason Brown presents “Do you know what time it is? Clocky does…” an installation created purely using only cardboard featuring the world of “Clocky”. Clocky is a fortune telling machine cloaked under the guise of a temporal devise. Clocky is assumed to behold infinite wisdom and can predict future events. Powered by the unknown, Clocky is marked by emblematic symbols including – but not limited to: owls, stars, checkers, moons, and all seeing eye that eternally sits and watches over us all. Featured artist Mason Brown is a graphic artist and filmmaker. Brown founded Cardboard Robot as an extension of various milti-media projects developed by the artist. Resulting from exhaustive research into the realm of religious mysticism and secret questions, Clocky is the invention of Mason Brown – Founder and Creative Director of Cardboard Robot. A veteran of Desert Storm, much of Brown’s work is aimed at promoting social awareness through politically charged images. This is an installation you do not want to miss. Brown welcomes you to the world of “Clocky”.

Exhibiting Artists:
Bob Motown, Branded, Dash, Dave Kawano, Dytch, Else, Enik, Eriberto Oriol, Estevan Oriol, Euth, Ezra, Graham Walzer, Gregg Stone, James Gillette, Juan Balandran, Lalo Alcaraz, Man One, Michael Pizarro, Mike Street, Oscar Magallanes, Philip Lumbang, Preston Craig, Shing Yin Khor, Sims, Smear, Thomas the Messenger, Two Rabbits, Mas, Ruthie Pie, Mason Brown

Info about The Midnight Mission:
The Midnight Mission is one of the oldest continuously operating human services organizations in the Los Angeles region. Centered in the Skid Row area of downtown Los Angeles, the Mission runs one of the most efficient direct service operations in the country. With only four executive managers through out its ninety-five (95) year history, the Mission has been a consistent beacon of light for those with nowhere else to turn. The Mission offers a bridge of self-sufficiency for homeless people through counseling, education, training and job placement. For more information, visit http://www.midnightmission.org

Fundraising Details:
Crewest will be holding a special Fundraiser Night on Saturday, October 23rd, 2010 from 6pm to 9pm. $10 donation at the door. On this night, 100% of donations at the door and 10% of all art and merchandise sales will all go to The Midnight Mission. Drinks provided by Jarritos, Roaring Lion and cupcakes by Big Man Bakes. To attend, RSVP at skidrow@crewest.com. More details to follow.

Additionally, a donation jar will be located inside Crewest all month long and 10% of all art sales for the month of October will be donated to The Midnight Mission.

Crewest Gallery is located at 110 Winston St. Los Angeles, CA 90013. Crewest is a gallery that supports some of the most talented underground artists from the West Coast and beyond. The gallery's focus is on urban & graffiti art created through painting, sculpture, digital, and print medias. All of the exhibits housed at Crewest deal with what is current, and significant within the realm of the urban art experience. Hours of operation are Tuesday through Thursday: Noon to 7 p.m.; Friday and Saturday: Noon to 8 p.m.; Sunday: Noon to 6 p.m. and Mondays are closed. For more information, please call 213.627.8272, email at info@crewest.com or visit www.crewest.com

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