September 24th, 2000
Contact Chris Drew 773/561-7676

UNC, Urban Natives of Chicago, will honor Native American Day with a Pow-Wow at the "T-shirt Art Harvest Festival" opening night. This Multi-Cultural event combines a community art tradition with a Native ceremonial tradition.

Chris Drew is the organizer of the annual exhibit of artwork on t-shirts that shows work of artists from around Chicagoland. He explained how a leader from the community youth group asked to share the "Tribal Hall" where the exhibit takes place on Friday, September 30th, at the American Indian Center, 1630 W. Wilson. On the exhibit's agenda for Friday night are Pot luck dinner, the reading of poets and the announcement of the winner of ART-ACT, the Anti-Racist T-shirt Art Contest Tour conducted over the Internet for the past 18 months.

"A Pow-Wow is a Native social tradition, a potluck with at least one drum group and people. I could see immediately how poets, our ART-ACT announcement and art would fit well with a Pow-Wow," Chris said.

Yes he said. Yes UNC said. Yes - a fresh "multi-cultural" art event is born. It is an art exhibit on a utilitarian medium - the t-shirt - that is also an indigenous forum - wearable art. The "Art of the T-shirt" and a Pow-Wow ceremony will commemorate "Native American Day" and celebrate Chicago's creativity.

The feast of food and art are free for all who come Friday, 9/29, 5-10. On Saturday artists will sell arts and crafts from 10am-6pm. A t-shirt painting workshop from 12-3 pm invites kids to bring a t-shirt and use materials provided to create art they can wear. T-shirts for those without will be available for cost. A Labor and Arts Month sponsored Round Table discussion in which the public is encouraged to participate will take place from 3-5pm.

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All rights reserved © 2001 Uptown Multi-Cultural Art Center (UM-CAC). E-mail UM-CAC at umcac@art-teez.org Ph.773/561-7676