This is an INVITE-ONLY preview. The show will be open to the general public on April 1st, 2013.

Urban art –artwork that reflects on city life – by four visual artists and numerous writers and video makers will be featured in From the City to the World. The gallery and online exhibition is Pontius’ curatorial début. “I live in the City of Cambridge, and much of my art is about my urban environment, so I’m thrilled by the opportunity to present other artists who share my passion for city life,” said the first-time curator, whose photographs will also be on display.

The main gallery of the New Art Center is an 1800 square feet converted church with stained glass windows that provide an intriguing backdrop to the carefully selected urban art. The centerpiece of the show will be a monumental street poster, a 12-foot tall painting of an American woman peering into the burqa covered face of an Afghan woman, by the Italian artist known as BR1 (Turin, Italy). This exhibition will be his U.S. premiere. Echoing the lines of the painted burqa is a sculpture comprised of a tent with a cabin-like interior by Kevin Cyr (Brooklyn, NY). The sculpture conjures up ideas about temporary and permanent homes. Nearby, a photography installation by Pontius (Cambridge, MA) documents everyday objects left in a city park. Gabriel Specter’s (Brooklyn, NY) crucifix shaped sculpture inspired by hand-painted storefront signage is a reminder that the exhibit is in a church turned art space, a transformation that testifies to the ever-evolving nature of city life.

http://www.newartcenter.org/galleries/exhibit.aspx?id=57

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