NEW YORK, NY—Westbeth Gallery presents “Unpacking the 21st Century: Artists Engaging the World,” an exhibit featuring five local artists that examines a range of social and political issues and offers companion special events open to the public (Westbeth Gallery, 55 Bethune Street, New York, NY.).

This exhibit, curated by Aileen Bassis, presents work by mid-career artists Aliza Augustine, Aileen Bassis, Patricia Cazorla, Patricia Dahlman and Nancy Saleme. Their work in photography, printmaking, collage, murals and sculptures explore marriage equality, the refugee crisis, undocumented workers, income inequality and the children of Holocaust survivors.

The exhibition, which runs from June 4 – 25, will feature related special events including a select viewing for children and families of Holocaust survivors (June 5), poetry readings and performances (June 8), and an artist talk (June 19). Gallery hours are Wednesday – Sunday from 1 – 6 pm.

Patricia Dahlman, “Freedom 2” Thread & Fabric Meet the Artists Aliza Augustine’s cinema-wide narrative photos, combine portraits of the children of Holocaust survivors with vintage photos of their parents and landscapes she shot in Europe to explore the aftermath of genocide on later generations. This work was supported by the Puffin Foundation. Aileen Bassis, the curator is a printmaker and photographer. Her series, “Homilies for the 99%” is about income inequality, an issue that’s currently central to our politically-fraught time. Her mixed media work combines prints of people on NYC streets with fragments of text and images from novels by nineteenth-century author, Horatio Alger.

Patricia Cazorla and Nancy Saleme, both from Venezuela work collaboratively on murals and sculptures. Their work brings attention to issues of undocumented workers: child labor and immigrant integration into urban environments. Their mural, “Paramount Newark” was created with support from the Puffin Foundation.

Patricia Dahlman’s fabric sculpture “Shelter” addresses the world-wide immigrant crisis. Her sculptures and hand-stitched images include work about health care, gun violence, war and marriage equality.

Special Events:

Sunday, June 5, 3 – 5 pm. Special viewing for children of Holocaust survivors and families with artist Aliza Augustine. Free, please RSVP to mizaliza@gmail.com.

Wednesday, June 8, 7 – 9 pm. Prose, Poetry and Performance: Readings by poets Bhisham

Bherwani, Terese Svoboda and Performance,“’E’ as in Event” by dancer and choreographer Luis Lara Malvacias with spoken words by poet Judah Levenson. Free and open to the public.

Saturday, June 18, 3 pm. Artist talk with Aliza Augustine, Aileen Bassis, Patricia Cazorla,

Patricia Dahlman and Nancy Saleme. Free and open to the public.

Westbeth Gallery, 55 Bethune Street, New York, NY. For more information, visit www.westbeth.org