Fountain Gallery to Present LOOK AT ME Group Exhibition, 7/18-9/4

Fountain Gallery, located at 702 Ninth Avenue and representing artists with mental illness, announces the group exhibition Look At Me, which will open with a Reception on July 18, 2013, 6-8 pm and continue through September 4. Gallery Hours: Tuesday - Saturday, 11am-7pm; Sunday, 1pm-5pm. Look At Me is curated by Asuka Morii.

"The works in this show reflect the artists' experiences of being seen - and often not seen ­- for who they are," said Morii, founder and CEO of AltruArt, Inc.,­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­ a company that matches licensing manufacturers with artists with disabilities to identify images and designs to creatively enhance the promotion of products and programs. "According to the English pediatrician and psychoanalyst D.W. Winnicott, an infant first recognizes himself through the mother's responsive facial expressions; if this experience is positive, we begin to know ourselves through the loving, caring reactions of another. But the larger world may not always respond to us in the manner we desire. The works on view in Look At Me manifest impressions of these artists' need for connection with a world that does not necessarily 'see' them as they wish to be seen."

Look At Me showcases more than 40 pieces by 18 Fountain Gallery artists. Mediums include acrylic and gouache, pen and ink, collage and mixed media, woodcut, sculpture, and digital photography, with subject matter ranging from portraits to images of everyday objects and people in their homes and neighborhoods.

Fountain Gallery is the premier venue in New York City representing artists with mental illness. Founded by Fountain House in 2000 as a not-for-profit exhibition space for its member-artists living and working with mental illness, the Gallery sells original artworks and collaborates with a wide network of artists, curators and cultural institutions. Embracing artists who are emerging or established, trained or self-taught, Fountain Gallery cultivates artistic growth and makes a vital contribution to the New York arts community.

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, and by generous support from The Renate, Hans and Maria Hofmann Trust.

For more information, visit www.fountaingallerynyc.com.