March 28-April 3, 2002

art

John Stachowicz

Art

Coalition Ingenu, a program for artists who have dealt with homelessness or mental illness, is joining with Project H.O.M.E., a group that aids homeless Philadelphians, to present the work of John Stachowicz. The New York artist does not fit the typical mold of a Coalition Ingenu artist. A white, gay man originally from South Bend, Ind., Stachowicz spent his childhood being taught racist ideologies, and he felt a need in his adulthood to overcome his bigoted thoughts about African-American people. Already a trained artist, in 1991 Stachowicz began focusing on painting homeless African-Americans in New York City. He's now well known among the city's homeless population as "the picture man." He claims that his "ignorance," as he puts it, has disappeared as his portrait series grows. (He currently has over 1,000.) Several of his works will be on display for the next month under the group title "Oil Paintings from the Black Portrait Series: Houses, Homeboys & The Homeless."

Opens Thu., March 28, runs through May 10, reception March 28, 5-7:30 p.m., Project H.O.M.E. Art Gallery, 1515 Fairmount Ave., 215-878-1825.

—Debra Auspitz

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