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Contact:
Rick Miramontez / Joyce Friedmann / Molly Barnett
rick@oandmco.com / joyce@oandmco.com / molly@oandmco.com
212-695-7400

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, PLEASE

New York, NY (10/24/11) – The first Arab-American cultural exchange since the Arab Spring began in Tunisia will take place on November 14 – 18 at the Art Students League of New York, 215 West 57th Street, New York City. Artist and Fulbright Scholar David Black will be joined by Tunisian Collaborative Painting creator Hechmi Ghachem and Tunisian artists Mourad Zerai and Olfa Jegham for artist workshops (November 14 – 18) and a panel discussion (November 17 at 7:00 PM) about this fascinating, vital and politically relevant new democratic form of artistic expression coming from a part of the world that has recently experienced enormous social change and international attention.

Tunisian Collaborative Painting (TCP) was created by Hechmi Ghachem in 1988 to help artists survive under the oppressive regime of President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali. Recognizing that it was dangerous for artists to work individually, Hechmi formed Brigades of artists to work collaboratively on a single canvas. Operating with these four simple rules, groups of painters create works that appear as if created by a single painter:

1. A designated member of the team starts the painting and that person will also be the one who decides when it is finished within the allotted time period (usually 2–3 hours).
2. Anyone on the team can paint at any time.
3. Anyone can paint over another team member’s work.
4. Another designated member is an arbiter in case of a dispute.

In November 2008, U.S. Ambassador to Tunisia Robert Godec chose David Black’s paintings for his residence through the U.S. State Department’s ART in Embassies Program. He also invited Black to come to Tunisia and meet Tunisian artists. Black met Ghachem, who introduced him to Tunisian Collaborative Painting. “Half a world away,” says Black, “I stumbled on a new concept for creating art, a concept simple yet profound, mysterious but obvious, a concept which celebrates the oneness of all human beings and the wonder of the creative process.”

So moved by the outcome, Black invited Ghachem to teach TCP in the United States but due to political circumstances, travel was impossible at the time. Instead Ghachem suggested that Black personally import this unique democratic concept of painting to the United States.

In February 2010, Black conducted the first session of TCP in America at the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts in Old Lyme, Connecticut. Later that year, Art Students League Executive Director Ira Goldberg invited Black to conduct TCP workshops at the Art Students League of New York. Over a period of five days, 125 artists from 30 countries created 26 paintings and each of the finished paintings looked like the work of a single artist.

For additional information about the upcoming workshops and panel discussion, visit: http://www.theartstudentsleague.org/Workshops/TunisianCollaborativePaintingWorkshop.aspx  

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www.davidblacknyc.com
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CALENDAR LISTING: November 14 – 18

DESCRIPTION:
Tunisian Collaborative Painting (TCP) creator Hechmi Ghachem and Tunisian artists Mourad Zerai and Olfa Jegham will conduct workshops with Artist and Fulbright Scholar David Black, who brought TCP to America, at the Art Students League of New York. This style of painting helps artists give up control in ways that can help them become better artists. Seeing what emerges without any pre-determination gives artists new insight into what is possible in art.

WHERE:
Art Students League of New York, 215 West 57th Street, New York City

WORKSHOP DATES/TIMES: November 14-18
Morning session: 9:00 am-12:00 pm
Afternoon session: 1:00 pm-4:00 pm

OPTIONS & FEES:
Workshop option 1 – 1/2 day workshop
$35 per daily am or pm session.
Workshop option 2 – 5 day workshop
5 painters will have the unusual opportunity of painting for five days (am or pm session) with the same group. A commitment to attend all five sessions is required.

$150 per weekly session, am or pm (includes $50 materials fee)

Limited to 5 students per am or pm session

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO REGISTER:
Call the Art Students League – 212-247-4510, or click
http://www.theartstudentsleague.org/Workshops/TunisianCollaborativePaintingWorkshop.aspx

CALENDAR LISTING: November 17 at 7pm

THE ARAB SPRING COMES TO NEW YORK: A PANEL DISCUSSION
Moderator: Artist and Fulbright Scholar David Black

A panel discussion with Tunisian Collaborative Painting (TCP) creator Hechmi Ghachem and Tunisian artists Mourad Zerai and Olfa Jegham about this fascinating, vital and politically relevant new democratic form of artistic expression. Artist and Fulbright Scholar David Black, who brought TCP to America, will moderate the discussion.

The panel will discuss the significance of TCP arriving in New York nine months after the success of The Jasmine Revolution which marks the start of the Arab Spring, and two weeks after both the American and Tunisian elections. What impact will closer ties between America and Tunisia have on the Arab world? And what does Tunisian Collaborative Painting offer American artists that they have never experienced before?

WHERE:
Art Students League of New York, 215 West 57th Street, New York City

COST: Free

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Call the Art Students League – 212-247-4510, or click
http://www.theartstudentsleague.org/Workshops/TunisianCollaborativePaintingWorkshop.aspx