Iris Rising: From Harlem to Haiti

The Iris Photo Collective Visual Lab will host their final “Speaker Series” for the year from “Harlem to Haiti” a presentation of film, fundraising, music and dialogue. As part of the finale of a very successful 10-week outreach program, IPC will be screening Haitian-American filmmaker, Rachelle Salnave-Gardner’s film 'Harlem’s Mart 125: The American Dream,' a documentary about the gentrification of Harlem. Part of the proceeds will be going towards the funding of her new film project about the Haitian experience called 'La Belle Vie: The Good Life.'

About IPC Visual Speaker Series:
Iris Photo Collective Visual Lab is a partnership among Iris Foundation, Iris Photo Collective, and the Little Haiti Cultural Center. A ten-week program that explores storytelling in the classical vain of photojournalism, its main target audiences are both children and adults who are engaged and interested in enhancing their knowledge of the visual language of photojournalism. Through collaborative exercises, discussions, critiques, and lectures, students will develop the skills necessary to reveal a strong photographic narrative using their own visual voice. The Speaker Series is a semi-monthly discussion of Industry professional's and visionaries that share their experiences as a means of mentorship and inspiration to the students.


Rachelle Salnave-Gardner Director/Producer/Editor
A Harlem native of Haitian decent, who graduated from Hunter College while attaining a Bachelor's of Arts Degree in Film Production, Salnave-Gardner created two films, "Unforgiven Sins" and "Mistijah" while she attended the University of Miami. "Unforgiven" was chosen out of thirty undergraduate projects as part of the selection of works to participate in the University of Miami Film Festival.

IPC Visual Lab Please join IPC Visual Lab in celebrating and acknowledging the work of Rachelle Salnave, the Hatian-American filmmaker. See her latest documentary 'Harlem's Mart 125: The American Dream. Get to be the first to get a sneak peek of her upcoming film 'La Belle Vie: The Good Life', a documentary about the Haitian experience. Cocktails will be served 6pm - 6:45pm, screening and Q&A 7pm-9:00pm. A suggested $15 donation is deeply appreciated. This event is part of a fundraiser to complete the film 'La Belle Vie: The Good Life. It is an evening of good intelligent conversation, music, and film. So don't miss it. Please RSVP by emailing ipcvisuallab@gmail.com. See you there.



Watch on Youtube a promo regarding Rachelle Salnave-Gardner's Miami appearance at this link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXlcSQaSYNE

For more information, please contact:
Rachelle Salnave-Gardner
Soulfood Films, LLC
harlemmart125@yahoo.com
harlemmart125.com

Carl Juste speaks to students at his Alma Mater

Miami, FL…November 12, 2010…Award-Winning, Miami Herald Photojournalist Carl Juste paid a surprise visit to Archbishop Curley Notre Dame High School’s newest fine arts class – ‘Introduction to Photography.’ Juste, an ACND alumnus, always welcomes any opportunity to visit students, share his experiences and inspire them to create their own works of art. In the past, he has served as a guest lecturer at one of the school’s summer fine arts programs.



The new photography class introduces its students to the basics of photography as an art form, apart from the simple fact of learning how to record a moment. The intent of the class is produce photos as art pieces that cause an effect in its viewers. Using modern digital formats and editing tools and software, the students enhance their images to obtain satisfactory results and show more control of the final image. The assignments range from self-portraits to architectural landscapes, and from fashion to product photography. Students use the Canon 50D Digital SLR, and the Adobe creative suite CS2.



Carl Juste invited the students to attend his upcoming Conversation/Exhibit event to be held on Saturday, December 4, 2010 at the school’s ACND Gallery of Art. Juste along with Andre Chung of the Iris PhotoCollective will present, “Invictus: Haiti Unconquered” - a collection of 30x40, black and white photographs depicting some of their work in Haiti covering the January 2010 earthquake and its aftermath. Photography and poetry merge as the William Ernest Henley reference parallels the exhibit’s dramatic and compelling array of images. Carl Juste will also speak to guests about photojournalism as a career, the power of visual storytelling, and his experiences in Haiti.



Juste opened his remarks to the students by asking them if they had ever read Henley’s famous poem. Although many were familiar with the recent movie “Invictus,” few knew the movie’s title came from the poem. After a student read it to the class, Juste talked about his work in Haiti this past year. Although deeply moved while recalling his experiences, he tried to remain positive for the students (a few are of Haitian descent.) He assures them, “You can’t give up just because many people before you have given up.”



Course instructor Yunier Cervino Oliver remarks, “It was a pleasure having Carl Juste in class today. Carl is an extraordinary person and never fails to move me, with the depth of his words.” Oliver also teaches Art 2D, and Drawing and Painting 1 and 2. As a professional artist specializing in painting, graphic design, comics, and medical and architectural illustration, he has successfully inspired his students to produce outstanding works in a variety of mediums. He likes to display their work throughout the school, but also posts them on a class blog so that students can view their peers’ work online. ACND is one of only three Catholic High Schools that offer photography instruction as a separate class.



Juste closed his talk by encouraging the students to understand that photography is a powerful medium that really needs people to understand its power. He says, “It doesn’t need all of you – it just needs one.” Juste’s goal, however, is to help many people understand the power of visual storytelling. Students, professionals, and any members of the community who support the visual arts and wish to share ideas that will help inspire and motivate aspiring photographers should plan to attend his December 4th event.



“Invictus: Haiti Unconquered” – A Community Conversation Exhibit Event

Saturday, December 4, 2010

6:00-9:00 p.m.

Free and open to the community and media. Pre-registration is encouraged by emailing news@acnd.net

ACND Gallery of Art

Located in the 6-7-8 Brother Rice Honors Academy on the grounds of Archbishop Curley Notre Dame High School, 4949 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami, FL 33137 Phone: (305) 751-8367



Exhibit opens November 13, 2010

Hours: Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. or other times by appointment

To view more works visit acndart.blogspot.com.