Naples Art Hosts Student Collaborative Mural Project with the Immokalee Foundation in Honor of Keith Haring
Contact: Eva Perron
Digital Marketing Manager
eva.perron@naplesart.org
Naples Art has invited 25 students from The Immokalee Foundation to partner on a mural painting project inspired by the late artist Keith Haring, the subject of Naples Art’s current exhibition, Keith Haring: Radiant Vision, on view at Naples Art through February 6th.
The collaborative Keith-Haring-inspired mural painting event will take place Saturday, November 20th from 10 am to approximately noon. Students from The Immokalee Foundation will first tour the Keith Haring: Radiant Vision exhibition to learn about Keith Haring’s life’s work and then will participate in the collaborative mural painting experience outside on the Naples Art Betty Young plaza, overlooking Cambier Park.
The group of students from The Immokalee Foundation will be comprised of middle school, high school, post-secondary students, and alumni, who have an interest in art.
"As an educational foundation, we celebrate all forms of education--including the arts," said Noemi Y. Perez, President and CEO of The Immokalee Foundation. "We are grateful to Naples Art for including our students in this very unique project. After all, creative thinking is at the heart of so many successful careers."
“This project is a natural tie-in with the Keith Haring: Radiant Vision exhibition because Keith Haring maintained an unparalleled dedication to young people throughout his career, advocating for their health and rights while also supporting their creative development,” said Naples Art Executive Director and Chief Curator Frank Verpoorten.
Haring held drawing workshops for children in schools and museums throughout the world and created countless murals for pediatric hospitals, day cares, churches, and community centers. He also completed a number of major commissions that highlighted the artwork of school children, most notably a ninety-foot banner of the Statue of Liberty made with nearly 1,000 New York kids in 1986, and a 520-foot Chicago park mural painted with 300 kids in 1989.
The Immokalee Foundation’s art education consultant Jonathan Martinez and Naples Art’s volunteer & retired educator Fred Damiano will work with the students to guide them in creating Haring-inspired images to create a mural reflective of the Immokalee community and the important work The Immokalee Foundation does in serving students and families.
The completed 4’ x 7’ mural will be on display at Naples Art for the duration of the Keith Haring: Radiant Vision exhibition (Feb 6, 2022) and will then be gifted to the Immokalee Foundation.
About The Immokalee Foundation
For more than 30 years The Immokalee Foundation has been dedicated to making the impossible possible. The Foundation provides pathways to success for those who may not otherwise have had the opportunity to succeed. Through support, mentorship, and life skill development—The Immokalee Foundation helps underprivileged children become economically independent adults. To learn more about The Immokalee Foundation, becoming a mentor, Signature events, volunteering as a career panel speaker or host, making a donation, including the foundation in your estate plans, or for additional information, call 239-430-9122 or visit immokaleefoundation.org.
About Naples Art
Naples Art has been at the forefront of the arts & cultural landscape of Naples since 1954. We believe art can change lives and improve communities. We are committed to developing tomorrow’s artists and arts leaders, ensuring that artistic expression is available to everyone, and enriching Southwest Florida through the visual arts.
