Black Lives Matter-Toronto Freedom School to Host Closing Fashion/Art Show

TORONTO, Aug. 4, 2017 /CNW/ - Black Lives Matter-Toronto's second annual three-week long Freedom School will be holding a closing event, entitled, "Fashion Statement" on Friday, August 4th at 7p.m at Blank Canvas Gallery, 890 St. Clair (at Winona).

Black Lives Matter-Toronto Freedom School provides an alternative educational space, facilitated by Black youth artists, which mirrors the Black experience in educational material to cultivate an engagement with education, and imparts the message to Black children that our Black lives matter. Black communities are constantly bombarded with the disposability of Black life. Without skills to deconstruct these messages, and a way to respond and resist, Black children are left to internalize them. Black Lives Matter-Toronto Freedom School program engages Black children to combat the root causes of these issues including teaching Black children critical skills in engaging with media portrayals of Blackness, and developing skills to create their own media.

"Fashion Statement will celebrate the contributions of children/youth, fashion designers, make-up and hair artists to the Black Lives Matter-Toronto movement." said Leroi Newbold, the schools director.  "The show will explore fashion and Black Lives Matter-Toronto inspired wearables as a mode of self expression for liberation".

As participating artist, Ravyn Wngz, declared, "Fashion Statement will challenge oppressive notions of beauty, declare darkness as beautiful, and will celebrate and affirm different body types and physical disabilities in fashion. It will also explore the history of vogue dance and fashion in terms of how the ball scene centered homeless LGBTQ Black youth".

Fashion Statement will also challenge the exclusion of vogue and fashion arts from contemporary arts milieus. Fashion Statement features art from award winning artists:

Danillo McCallum, Twysted Monroe, Daniel Thompson, Tanya Turton and NiaZamar Redefining Beauty, Kit Lang, and Janine Carrington.  

These are artists collaborated with children from Black Lives Matter-Toronto Freedom School, and this work will explore themes of resistance to state violence, and community activism.

Admission is free. All welcome. Blank Canvas is an accessible venue.

SOURCE Black Lives Matter - Toronto

Syrus Marcus Ware, 647-990-5316; Ravyn Wngz, 647-710-3669