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Design After Dark: RAW Culture
September 23rd, 2021 |
Coming up in Historic Bethlehem’s Design After Dark lineup is the RAW Culture event. This event will feature an open discussion on Real Art Works (RAW), an art school for individuals in Kenya planned by artist Robbie Matthews. It will also feature the chance to experience Kenyan culture through art, food, and music.
Behind this event is artist Robbie Matthews. Currently, Ms. Matthews is the Executive Director of Broken Alabaster Ministries, Inc. (BAM). In her position, Ms. Matthews uses horses and goats in combination with art mentoring as a way of outreach for inner city youth. Ms. Matthews is currently attending Cedar Crest College in pursuit of a degree in Art Therapy. However, before her time at Cedar Crest, Ms. Matthews was a self taught collage artist, with her understanding of art theory coming later. As a collage artist, Ms. Matthews takes used materials and repurposes them to make clothing and jewelry, among other things. This centers around Matthews’ belief that everyone has a hidden treasure that needs to be discovered.
Real Art Works (RAW) was established in 2018, during Robbie Matthew’s first visit to Nairobi, Kenya. While in Kenya, Ms. Matthews formed a vision for a school that focused on art. This is in contrast to Kenya’s main focus of academics, which are the basic Math, History, Science, and English. From this point, Ms. Matthews began work with Peter Nyamari, who gifted her land in order to start an art school. Born and raised in Western Kenya, Nyamari is a social worker by profession, having received his undergraduate degree from Kenyatta University in Kenya and a Master’s degree from Edinboro University of Pennyslvania. Those that attend the school will be given a safe place to live, as well as a chance to be mentored in a form of art, agriculture, beekeeping, and other areas. Ms. Matthews’ goal for this project is to provide a place that will “help heal the soul and create a space for self-sustainment.”
Partnering with Ms. Matthews for this event is the She Has Everything program, or SHE. This program, although it has been discussed since 2005, started in 2018. Currently, SHE is an after school program for fifth grade girls currently attending Fountain Hill Elementary School. The mission of SHE is to create an educational and inspirational environment in which girls build self-esteem, are empowered to change the dynamics in their personal relationships and the greater community, and seize control of their futures, ensuring healthy, fulfilling, and self-sufficient lives. SHE students participated by creating self portraits reflecting on their own heritage and identities. The portraits will be on display during the September 25th event.
The RAW Culture event will take place on September 25th at the Luckenbach Mill. Doors for the event will open at 1:00 PM, and refreshments, music and dance can be enjoyed during the event as part of a presentation of Kenyan culture. A pop up store of pieces from Kenyan artisans and photographs from the future location of RAW will be available for purchase. If you would like to register for the event, please go to https://store.historicbethlehem.org/raw-culture-design-after-dark/?showHidden=true&_ga=2.214680468.2007927742.1622674916-1016712155.1616950532 to register while spots are still available. We hope we’ll see you for this night filled with Kenyan representation and expressive artwork.
