By JAMIE ELLIN FORBES
In directing and curating this show that debuted at the Woodstock ’99 Festival and has toured internationally (before auctioning the art for the Alliance of Waterway Keepers) we celebrated thirty years of the visual art relating to the cultural aspects beyond the music of the “Peace, Love and Rock’n’Roll” movement.
A major part of the vision and theme is environmental. It is our hope that this art project will magnify the focus of so many musical and fine visual artists—one which was birthed in so much generational conflict, but has become the finest aspect of the sixties’ mentality. It is a natural extension to reach out through the arts and encompass the environmental movement, as Woodstock was a water shedding moment of the rock and roll community, bringing a serious focus to what up until that time appeared to be a random beat to a generation.
After Woodstock, talk was never about one band, one song, one concert.
But the voice and dialog of a postwar pre-glastnost generation was developed. Art is intrinsic to any long lasting mental vision of a society. We hope to expand the view of one generation while including all of the rest who have followed us and bring into focus the ideas and ideals of a universal theme. Peace, love and the expression of this in our own time in a real and concrete way through the environment. The continuance of the waters—real or ethereal—are necessary to the whole of society.
It is our intent to continue to curate and develop the panels and murals of the Woodstock art exhibitions into a touring museum quality show, one which will be exhibited nationally and internationally. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who co-authored a book on the Riverkeepers, is the National Coordinator of the Alliance and is participating as both artist and environ-mentalist. This is a very positive group whose members and leadership are committed to time and energy in support of this project, which is certain to be a very highly visible venue that will generate positive long-term activity for all involved.
All of this effort on behalf of the artists for the Alliance of Water Keepers was made possible through a thirty-year commitment and the creative vision of Michael Lang to art and the environment. I thank Paul Boshi, Deiter Schneider, Kevin Maddona, Richard Forbes, Victor Forbes, Steve Matric, Mel Lawrence John Hoving, Steve Rainford and all the contributing artists for our success.