Advocate for Homeless to display artwork, involve community in exhibits

An advocate for the homeless will display his artwork and involve the community in his upcoming exhibits at York College.

The exhibits, “Nowhere to Lay His Head” and “Give and Take,” will be on display from Nov. 2-20 in the Brossman Miller Gallery and the Cora Miller Gallery in Wolf Hall. Events surrounding these exhibits will begin with a reception featuring a panel discussion titled “Addressing Poverty though Art, Religion and Politics” at 7 p.m., Nov. 2, in DeMeester Recital Hall, Wolf Hall.  A food and clothing drive titled “Giving Thanks” will bring a close to the exhibits at 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Nov. 20, in Wolf Hall.

“Nowhere to Lay His Head,” a solo exhibition by Matthew Works, and “Give and Take,” a group exhibition, address issues of poverty, excess, generosity, creativity, responsibility, faith and politics. “Give and Take” is an interactive, living exhibition about cooperation and reciprocity in which a group of artists have created works dealing with ideas such as meeting the needs of others and having one’s own needs met, ridding oneself of excess, and addressing problems communally and individually. The artists are free to interpret these themes or introduce new ones, and visitors will be asked to participate in the life of the project as well. Exhibitors include Jane Craven, Alex Gartelmann, Melody Martin, Joanna Platt, Melanie Rodgers, JoAnne Schiavone and Katie VanVliet.

The Nov. 2 panel discussion, “Addressing Poverty through Art, Religion and Politics,” will include the Rev. Charles Howard, chaplain at the University of Pennsylvania; Beverly Mackereth, director of Human Services for York County; Sonia Pitzi, regional director of the Homeless Student Initiative Program; and the artist/activist Matthew Works.  The discussion will be moderated by Leif Jensen, professor of rural sociology and demography at Penn State University. The audience will have the opportunity to ask questions of the panelists, and a reception with refreshments will follow the discussion.

The exhibition will officially conclude with a Nov. 20 “Giving Thanks” food and clothing drive to benefit local residents in need. Refreshments will be served and guests are encouraged to bring clothing, food and cash donations.

Matthew Works is an artist, writer and activist for the homeless who has lived in Boston for 30 years, the last 13 of which have been spent “on the streets.” When security tightened after the Sept. 11 attacks and the Boston police began to crack down on the homeless population more than usual, Works began responding to an increasing number of invitations to speak and exhibit his artwork around the country. Since beginning his “Cross Country Speaking Tours” and “Traveling Art Shows,” he has built a following at many colleges, universities and churches as an artist and “theologian in residence.” He has been featured on National Public Radio and in the New York Times’ bestselling book, “God’s Politics,” by the Rev. Jim Wallis, founder of Sojourners magazine.

All events in the York College Galleries are open to the public free of charge. The Galleries are open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The galleries are closed Sunday. For more information, contact Matthew Clay-Robison at mclayrob@ycp.edu or call 717-815-6622.