New York City Resident Chosen as International Fellow for 2004 International VSA arts Festival
August 15, 2003
- Mark Parsons is one of 12 international artists selected from more than 100 entries - Honorees to exhibit art work at the United Nations on December 3rdFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 15, 2003 (Washington, D.C.) - VSA arts, an international nonprofit organization that provides opportunities in the arts for people with disabilities, today announced that Mark Parsons of New York City has been chosen as an International Fellow for the 2004 International VSA arts Festival, to be held June 9-12, 2004 in Washington, D.C. The theme of the Festival is "Odyssey: DARE to Imagine ..."
Mark Parsons is one of 12 visual artists chosen out of a pool of more than 100 entrants to represent VSA arts as an International Fellow. A renowned sculpture, Mark will serve as an ambassador for the organization in the months leading up to the Festival.
In 1999, Parsons went blind in one eye and in the following months numbness and fatigue had pervaded his body. Tests determined that the seemingly unrelated symptoms were in fact multiple sclerosis. The artist found comfort in sculpture - a physical exploration of the disjointed relationship between the internal and external.
"Our Fellows are each a testament to the power of the arts in the lives of people with disabilities," said Soula Antoniou, President of VSA arts. "These 12 International Fellows are role models for future artists. Moreover, the excellence of their work sets the tone for what will be an incredible week-long celebration of the arts."
Parsons' work takes on the form of large, three-dimensional drawings that exhibit precarious stacking of forms intended to suggest both large-scale architecture and children's building blocks. For him, "physical objects created with well-directed intent might, when pondered, unlock one's mind in such a way that one creates a distinction they might not have beforehand."
In addition to exhibiting at the 2004 International VSA arts Festival, each artist will share their work through a community project in their respective countries and hometowns. These artists will be participating in a United Nations exhibit, December 3, 2003, in New York City, celebrating the UN International Day of People with Disabilities.
Held every five years, the 2004 International VSA arts Festival is an opportunity for the public to witness and celebrate the creativity and talent of people with disabilities. The organization's largest and most important event, the Festival gives participants an exciting opportunity to discuss, learn, and explore issues in the arts that are significant to people with disabilities.
The Festival will mark the 30th anniversary of the founding of VSA arts and will include artistic performances, exhibitions, and an educational conference in venues throughout Washington D.C., including The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and Union Station.
For more information on the 2004 International VSA arts Festival, please contact Shaena Muldoon at (800) 933-8721 or visit the Festival Web site at www.vsartsfestival.org.
About VSA arts
VSA arts is an international non-profit organization founded in 1974 by Jean Kennedy Smith to promote education and lifelong learning opportunities in the arts for people with disabilities. Nearly five million people participate in VSA arts programs annually through a worldwide network of affiliate organizations across the nation and in more than 60 countries. VSA arts programs in music, dance, drama, creative writing, and the visual arts develop learning skills, encourage independence, and promote access and inclusion.
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