Dreams
CUE Teen Collective
June 1 – June 17, 2023

With works by: Anna Bukhman, Bianna Chen, Carter Cohen, Rory Dawidowicz, EM, Zoe Laura-Jean Forbes, Ariel Frisch, Devon Gellert, Natalie Niselson, Julie Papageorge, Melanie Quiroz, World Be Free, Yaqueline

Opening Reception
Thursday, June 1st, 5:30–7:30 pm

Dreams is the sixth annual exhibition of the CUE Teen Collective. This group show presents works by thirteen young artists that consider the subconscious and aspirational qualities of dreams. Through experimentations in painting, photography, film, illustration, ceramics, and soft sculpture, students in the program interpret the vast landscape of the mind and its perceptions and desires. Dreams seeks to open up portals of understanding and possibility that draw upon the ideas, emotions, and sensations of the next generation of artists as they cross the threshold to their future practice.

CUE Teen Collective (CTC) is a free, year-long after-school program for high school students who are passionate about visual culture and interested in exploring careers in the fine arts. Through the program, students investigate various aspects of the contemporary art world, develop and refine their artmaking and critical thinking skills, and conceptualize and create artwork for a final group exhibition presented at CUE’s gallery space.

Dreams is organized by CTC Lead Educator Amanda Adams-Louis with support from Programs Coordinator Maryam Chadury.

Student artists whose work is presented in the exhibition include:

**Anna Bukhman** is a 16-year-old junior who attends Midwood High School. She finds creativity in the chaos, molding it to her liking. She is interested in fine details and utilizes her observations in everything she does. Growing up on playdough and then becoming interested in jewelry design, Anna grew attached to the warmth that came from the tactility of art. Her practice then transformed into embroidery and most recently crochet, which she uses to bring her creations to life from spools of thread. Just as she has used weaving in her art, she has also weaved her life into a fabric web of memories, experiences, and dreams. Anna’s hope is to bring her passion forward to others, to remind them of simpler times, and to improve their lives.

**Bianna Chen** is a 16-year-old junior at Millennium High School. With a foundation in realism and stylized art, she works primarily on flat surfaces, with light playing an important role in her work. This year, Bianna has shifted her approach to incorporate more three-dimensional elements. Her goal is to make accessible art that is affordable and that can be used in people’s everyday lives.

**Carter Cohen** is a photographer from New York City who currently attends The Hewitt School as a junior. Beyond her photography studies at Hewitt, she also studied at the Cow House Studios in Ireland. Carter’s current work centers around nature, with a slightly magical flare. Among other hobbies and interests, she enjoys reading, baking, and ice skating.

**Rory Dawidowicz** is a 16-year-old artist from Queens, New York with a lifelong passion for creating art. They are currently a junior at the High School of Art and Design where they major in illustration. Victoria’s multimedia work focuses on darker and surreal themes. Their work has been presented in their school’s gallery multiple times, and two of their pieces have received honorable mentions in the Scholastic Art and Writing competition. Victoria aspires to become an art teacher, using their passion and joy for creating to help shape future artists after them.

EM (Barbera) is a Chinese-American artist from NYC. They are currently finishing their junior year at the High School of Art and Design, where they major in cartooning. Their digital work primarily focuses on people and characters as subjects. As a bassist and guitarist, Em also integrates music into their art practice. They have won several awards through the ArtsConnection program, and wish to continue developing their skills in visual arts. It is Em’s aspiration to work in an art-related field in the future and to continue developing their skills in visual arts.

**Zoe Laura-Jean Forbes** is a 16-year-old artist currently in her sophomore year of high school. She makes work in many mediums, including painting, drawing, photography, cartooning, and most recently sculpture. Her sculpture practice has developed through exposure to her mother’s ceramics business and studio in Brooklyn, where Zoe produces her work. The glaze techniques she uses are greatly influenced by her mother and resemble the cups and flasks scattered around the studio.

**Ariel Frisch** is a multimedia artist and musician living in New York City. She grew up on the Upper West Side and currently attends the Hewitt School. Ariel aims to make the world a prettier place with her art, and she makes great use of pastel colors and bold visuals in her work. Her longest running project has been decorating her room, with the goal of covering every inch of it by the time she leaves for college. Besides making art, she enjoys writing poetry and music, spending time with friends and family, and visiting the beach.

**Devon Gellert** is a 16-year-old girl from Manhattan. She is a 10th grade student, and currently attends the Hewitt School. Devon is passionate about art and enjoys working in various mediums, including painting, drawing, sketching, and clay. In her free time, Devon enjoys working on her art projects as well as listening to music, especially Taylor Swift. Devon has been thrilled to make artwork for the final exhibition at CUE Art Foundation as a means to further develop her practice and explore new ideas.

**Natalie Niselson** is a young artist born in the bustling city of New York. From an early age, she developed a deep appreciation for art, inspired by her vibrant heritage and the beauty of nature and people. Natalie's talents have earned her numerous accolades. She earned first place in the 2022 Congressional Art Competition, and as a result, her work is displayed in the U.S. Capitol Building. She is also the recipient of the Scholastic Gold Key award. As she continues to grow as an artist, Natalie remains committed to exploring the world around her through the beauty of art. With each stroke of the brush, she invites us to see the world through her eyes and to experience the magic and wonder of life.

**Julie Papageorge**, age 16, lives in Jackson Heights, Queens, and attends the High School of Art and Design as a sophomore. She primarily creates surrealist, semi-realistic work, often, focused on the symbolism of the subject. She works across multiple mediums, preferring watercolor, pen and ink, digital, and oils. Some of her interests consist of reading novels, fostering cats, and fencing. Julie’s goal is to become a psychologist or therapist. It is Julie’s belief that the way art makes her think about the world and the feelings of others prepares her for this empathetic career and for helping people with their psychological issues. This body of work aims to not only serve her portfolio for college and job applications, but also to showcase her technical and symbolic talent. She uses art as a way to visualize her feelings more precisely than words can express.

**Melanie Quiroz** has always had a strong love for creating things. Now a junior in high school, her passion to make art has continued to grow. Growing up as a Chicana in the Bronx, she has been surrounded by hardworking people who inspire her to follow her dreams of working in art of all different mediums, including painting, poetry, and film. Melanie’s drive and dedication have also led her to participate in the Drama League and to take classes in film and storytelling at NYU. She continues to be inspired by the people around her and by her vivid imagination to keep her art alive.

**World Be Free** (Claudio Cofré) is a 16-year-old NYC-based artist currently attending the High School of Art and Design. Inspired by projects such as Shepard Fairey's Obey Campaign and Basquiat and Al Diaz's SAMO, World Be Free (W.B.F.) is a pseudonym for an aspiring street art iconography symbol. As a multimedia artist, he paints portraits informed by neo-expressionism, photographs a plethora of subjects, and studies film in school. Immersed in the realm of collectivism, W.B.F. often collaborates with like-minded contemporaries, such as videographer and visual artist Meraki; artist and musician Prince Morales; and photographer and filmmaker Helsen Sanabia. His vision extends even further, as he hopes to one day establish a haven for artists of his generation––a space akin to a salon where young individuals from different backgrounds can exchange ideas and create together. W.B.F.'s dream is to become an enigmatic and recognizable visual phenomenon that is evocative and accessible to anyone. He seeks to ignite a universal response to his artwork.

**Yaqueline** was born and raised in Queens, New York City. They are currently a junior at the High School for Law, Advocacy, and Community Justice, where they participate in the law club, varsity soccer team, and, until recently, the debate team. Yaqueline is a self-taught artist who developed an interest in painting and sketching at a young age. In 2022, they worked at NYU Visionary Studios. Aside from art, Yaqueline has a long held interest in law and aspires to be an immigration or family lawyer.

About CUE Teen Collective
CUE Teen Collective (CTC) is a free, year-long after-school program for high school students who are passionate about visual culture and interested in exploring careers in the fine arts. Through the program, students investigate various aspects of the contemporary art world, develop and refine their artmaking and critical thinking skills, and conceptualize and create artwork for a final group exhibition presented at CUE’s gallery space. CTC offers behind-the-scenes access to the New York art world, demystifying career paths in the arts while inspiring students to develop their own personal artistic voices. The program consists of talks with artists and curators, trips to gallery and museum shows, visits to art fairs, hands-on studio sessions, and more. Participants have the opportunity to learn from working arts professionals and build sustainable and rewarding careers of their own in the arts.

Participants form a community with their peers over the course of the academic year, sharing their work with each other and exchanging meaningful feedback on artistic concepts, techniques, and processes as they work together to develop and refine their artistic practices. At the culmination of the program, students present original artwork as part of a group show, for which they collectively decide upon the theme and content. Students also learn how to communicate their work through the development of visual and written materials for the final exhibition, including curatorial statements, artist statements, and artist biographies. Through this process, students learn how to envision, produce, install, and communicate an art exhibition in the same manner as working artists, organizations, and galleries all over the world.

For more information about the CUE Teen Collective, see here and learn how to apply.

Artwork Images

Installation Images

Artist Portraits

Opening Reception Images

All photos by Keenon Perry.

Support
CUE Teen Collective is supported through generous contributions from The Milton and Sally Avery Arts Foundation, The William Talbott Hillman Foundation, and ING Group.

Programmatic support for CUE Art Foundation is provided by Evercore, Inc. and Corina Larkin & Nigel Dawn. Programs are also supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council; the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature; and the National Endowment for the Arts.