Supporting Local Arts and Culture

Issue 14 • April 2019 • Facebook.com/TalkArts

IT’S ALL ABOUTARTSSupporting Local Arts and Culture

Farah Jeune

The Healing Power of Art

When I started planning the April issue, I was not aware that April 10th is Youth HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. I learned this fact through my feature and interview with Farah Jeune. I so admire Jeune for her advocacy around HIV/AIDS awareness and mental health. She uses her art to bring awareness to subjects that are far too often hidden under the rug. I am also reminded of the dedicated work that artist and community advocate Michael Dowling does. Each year he orchestrates (among other projects) “A Day Without Art” or “World Aids Day” at the BCA Cyclorama in Boston. It is a 24-hour vigil illuminated by art people create that is dedicated to the memory of those who are suffering and have died of AIDS. In our February issue we had an article about ARTrelief, an art program run by Cecile Reve in Watertown that is art centered and is dedicated to serving low income individuals, individuals with disabilities, individuals suffering from chronic illness, and their families. I am sure there are many other such worthy programs in the area.

I see an upsurge in more discussion and services about the health (both physical and mental) benefits of engaging in creative activities. This does not surprise me because the world is frightfully complex and stressful for most people. Art can help in so many ways. “Through creativity and imagination, we find our identity and our reservoir of healing. The more we understand the relationship between creative expression and healing, the more we will discover the healing power of the arts.” (“The Connection Between Art, Healing, and Public Health: A Review of Current Literature” Heather L. Stuckey, DEd and Jeremy Nobel, MD, MPH - American Journal of Public Health).

So I encourage everyone young and old to immerse yourself in some kind of art activity (visual or performing or viewing) and share it with others. It can only help the world.

It’s All About Arts Magazine April 2019

Janice Williams, Editor/Publisher/Artist

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Farah Jeune – Taking Her Talents to Creative Heights by Janice Williams

The first thing I noticed about Farah Jeune when I met her was a slight shyness that concealed a vibrant and sparkling personality. I knew at once that I wanted to get to know more about her. Jeune is a highly creative person who channels her alter ego “Farenheight” to generously share and care. I have been lucky to have had a few satisfying encounters with her and now I present her and her talents to you in this article.

A visual artist who works both digitally and with paints, Jeune also is a dedicated television producer (monthly variety show called Farenheight TV). She loves to mostly draw portraits. She says, “I’ve always envisioned people as cartoons (I’m a 90’s kid and grew up on Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network cartoons)”. Her interests and talents are far and wide, and she is always on the move looking for the next creative project. She is particularly interested in fashion and as she says, “Being on the runaway is super exciting! I feel so empowered when I get to strut the catwalk on a runway and participating in a few community fashion shows has really developed my confidence”.

While Jeune always knew she wanted to be involved in the creative art world, the journey was not direct. According to Jeune, “I grew up in a Haitian household and as a first-generation daughter of immigrants; my mom wanted me to be financially successful so being an artist was never seen as a career that would get me there. In school, I was that kid that would go above and beyond on projects just to showcase my art. science projects, PowerPoint presentations, book reports, anything that my teachers allowed me to add an extra element of art to it.”

An art history class in college, made Jeune take a further step back. She remembers, “All of the professors were so monotone. Every single one of them! How can one be so dull when you’re talking about one of the world’s biggest blessings; ART! I fell asleep in each intro class I tried to take.” While she took her college career to a different level – studying media, she never lost the desire to follow her own creative art path.

A lot of Jeune’s art centers around Black & Brown bodies because she finds them so uniquely beautiful yet so misunderstood and abused throughout history and now. Jeune says, “When I create artwork, I want to celebrate the joy and greatness Black & Brown people bring to this earth and for them to see themselves as kings and queens that they are. I just want them to scroll on their timelines (continued)

It’s All About Arts Magazine April 2019

Farah Jeune – Taking Her Talents to Creative Heights by Janice Williams (continued)

BNN Media (Boston’s community access television and radio center shown on Boston cable and YouTube) the show celebrates people’s greatness in the Boston area through narratives and artistic expression. Jeune has been hosting, producing and editing the show for 4 years. She says to tune in to hear stories of unsung heroes, upcoming community events, witness talented artists on our stage and join in on the discussion as we talk about social issues that are vital in our community. Follow her @FarenheightTV to stay updated.

to find something that empowers them or makes them feel seen for who they are and not what society tells us to be”.

Jeune has used her artwork to focus on social issues such as mental illness and HIV/ Aids awareness projects. She is working on HIV Beautiful which is artwork created to bring more awareness to HIV, get people connected to resources that can help them and to celebrate the community heroes in the world who continually make big strides to help fight against HIV/AIDS. The artwork for this project centers on encouraging folks to get tested and know their status, dismissing stigma and bringing awareness to resources that can help like PrEP or FREE testing sites. Jeune says, “I also love to talk about mental health because it is also still stigmatized in Black & Brown communities. I try to make artwork that encourages people to check in on themselves and their loved ones. You never know what someone is silently dealing with. I feel that everyone deserves to have a healthy mind, body and spirit no matter where you’re from.” Jeune presented her HIV Beautiful art project at two National conferences (NMAC & Viiv Healthcare). She shares her artwork on social networks with one of the most memorable projects was the sharing of about 50 portraits of community leaders in the HIV movement.

And last but not least (where I initially met Jeune), a little about her TV show. Taped through

For more about Jeune: www.FarenheightTV.com. Contact: Farenheight55@gmail.com

It’s All About Arts Magazine April 2019