Brazil in NYC - Helping Projeto Lingua Solta w/ an Online Auction

freeDimensional organizes short-term studio and residential space for artists, activists and citizen journalists experiencing censorship, xenophobia and/or economic marginalization. The Center for International Art in Community (CIAC) is administrative office and project incubation space for the freeDimensional network in New York City.

On the evening of March 8, we will be hosting Joao Brandao, a visiting fellow of the International Center for Tolerance Education during our open house. Joao founded the Projeto Lingua Solta (Loose Tongue Project) which seeks to transform lives and reduce poverty in the low-income areas of Rio de Janeiro. This year Shim Mey Pecsen donated 7 of his paintings in order for the Projeto Lingua Solta to raise money to build a new classroom. The cost of the building is estimated at $7,000. The paintings are a part of a series, inspired by Pecsen's trips in China and Malaysia between 2004 and 2005. Pecsen is a well-known social artist producing (oil-on-canvas) works of high quality and style. The open house is a chance for our friends in New York City to view (and bid on) his acclaimed work while we simultaneously launch an online auction among our online community members (with the help of our Zaadz space). Also, Joao will be invited to become a CIAC Fellow. A Fellow can live anywhere in the world and continue to participate in freeDimensional projects. Through this program we provide technical assistance and secondary support space for our stakeholder's independent endeavors. 

{See  a sample here and the other paintings (all roughly 1.20 x 0.90 meters) in our photo gallery ... Please express your interest in a particular painting and we will respond with billing and shipping information! CONTACT: todd@freedimensional.org}

 About the Artist:

Shim-mey Pecsen was born on the 25^th April 1940 in Peking, China. At the age of 15 he started attending  private painting classes with a local master in China. At age 21, Shim-mey's family traveled to Peru where he attended National School of Art for 5 years. Pecsen's family decided to move back to China but they had political difficulties. As a student Shim-mey involved himself in political agitations and several times was sent to prison for his ideas. Traveling around the world, Shim-mey has always been involved with the Human Rights Movements.  In 1984, Shim-mey decided to spend his retirement painting and teaching art in the slums of Rio de Janeiro, where he lived calmly until 2003 with his wife and 2 daughters.  On New Year's Eve 2002, while celebrating with his family, Shim-mey saw his older daughter killed in front of his eyes by a drug dealer who entered house and held hostage his wife and his younger daughter. After this drastic incident, Pecsen began collaborating with community organizations that fight against violence in Rio de Janeiro.