Buy an “I Have A Dream 2013” Postcard
(Charity Campaign Ended – But you can still get a card! 😀 )

In honor of Black History Month this year, we held a wonderful Charity Drive to donate ALL profits from the sale of my MLK postcards to civil rights non-profit, The ACLU! Please check out our eBay charitable campaign to see the sold-out results! But don’t worry — even if you missed the campaign, you can still get your very own card, without the donation — just scroll down and hit “Buy Now!”

Only $5 Each, includes Free Shipping** & Autograph!

Each 4″x6″ premium double-sided postcard comes with a large print of my “I Have A Dream 2013” painting on the front, and a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s speech, along with a place to write a message and an address, on the back.

Quote: “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed.”

**Postcards are mailed free of charge, USPS First Class to all 50 US States, and come with an autograph from me on the front, if desired. Please contact us if you are purchasing internationally, to calculate shipping.

Finished Painting:

Finished Tribute Video:

Artist Statement:

I created this piece as a collaborative effort with over 50 other people, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have A Dream” speech. The process was unlike any other work of art I have ever done. I put out a call on the internet, looking for participants to submit video of themselves reading one line of the speech; I coordinated two on-location video shoots to film participants in NYC who did not have access to their own video cameras; and I spent over 100 hours painting. The end result was a combination of both digital and hand-rendered media that really turned my perception of art-making on its head: Which part was art, which part was administrative, …and which part was activism?

Once I had coordinated the efforts of the 57 people who appeared in the final video (including one submission from as far away as Australia!), I created a video montage of their clips so that the entire last section of Dr. King’s speech was read in order. Then, I took screenshots of each clip, and using a computer algorithm, created a random collage of these screenshots, onto which I super-imposed an image I created out of free-use images of Dr. King, the earth, the American flag, and Washington D.C. From this I painted an image that represents both that historic day: Dr. King on Capitol Hill, standing up for everything this country believes in, and for what he would hope the entire world could one day become; as well as where we are today: So many people, from all walks of life, different colors, creeds and religions, coming together to live out the legacy of Dr. King’s words. It has been an incredible and emotional ride, and I only hope that this piece gives as much joy and love and inspiration to others, as creating it has for me.

Press on “I Have a Dream: 50 Years of Change” Exhibit:

The 9ine: I Have a Dream 2013 Project | Watch Video Feature»

El Diario: Celebran el ‘sueño’ de Luther King | Read Article»

I HAVE A DREAM
50 Years of Change
Art Exhibition and Reading Series
Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s historic speech.

Meet the Artists Reception and Public Reading: Wednesday July 24th, 6-8 pm.
Exhibit on view: July 24 – Aug 10, 2013.

Participating artists: Yael Ben-Zion, Paula Berg, Caroline Blum, Felipe Galindo, Vita Giorgi, Irene Greenberg, Sylvia Hernandez, j. maya luz, Julian Kaiser, Martin Kozlowski, Jessica Maffia, Rough Acres/RL McKee, Nancy Quigley, David Reisman, Myra Resnick, Moses Ros, Nancy Saleme, Adesina, Lola Stanton, Pei Sun, Seena Sussman, Yasuyo Tanaka and David Tarry.
Martin Luther King historical documents also on display.

Participating writers: Anthony Cody, Michelle d’Costa, eDuRuth, Araceli Esparza, Karina Eleven Lopez, Nancy Ruffin and Purvi Shah.

The Grady Alexis Gallery – El Taller Latino Americano
2710 Broadway, 3rd Fl. New York NY 10025. 212-665-9460

Gallery hours: Mon-Thurs 10-6, Sat, 10-1, and by appointment.

Additional Exhibits of “I Have A Dream 2013” painting:

“Women In The Heights: Reflections on Creating”
NoMAA Gallery
178 Bennett Avenue
3rd Floor
New York, NY 10040

Dates: 3 March – 9 April 2014

Artists: Margaret Day, Kathleen Granadas, Antonia Guerrerp, Risa-Hirsch Ehrlich, Samantha Holmes, Varese Layzer, Michelle Melo, Elaine Maktefi, Michelle Orsi Gordon, Nancy Palubniah, Sky Pepe, Nancy Rakoczy, Danielle Rocio, Katrin Roos, Sarah Rowe, Adesina, Diana Schmertz, Uraline Septembre Hager, Laura Shapiro, Ashli Sisk, Renata Stein, Rachel Sydlowski, Lisa Turnhren, Marianna van den Bergh and Sandra Vergara.

Original Open Call For Participants:

(NOTE: The tribute project is now finished and so the open call is CLOSED. No more submissions will be accepted. Thank you so much for your interest & please Subscribe to be alerted of future opportunities! 🙂

On August 28, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and delivered his famous speech: “I Have A Dream.”

This August, we commemorate the 50th anniversary of his momentous words, and in that spirit, a wonderful non-profit gallery is holding an exhibition here in NYC, where artists may answer questions such as:

– How far have we come since the days of MLK Jr, in terms of equality, civil rights, and freedom?
– What does the “Dream” mean today?
– How can we bring our world more in alignment with MLK Jr’s timeless principals?

By doing so, we can create artwork that will re-ignite the dialogue and raise hopes & spirits.

AND YOU CAN BE A PART OF IT!

Get Involved:

1) Record a VIDEO of YOURSELF, reciting only ONE LINE from MLK Jr’s famous speech*, & what the speech means to you, and Upload the video »

-OR-

2) Come down to our NYC shoot on Thursday, June 6, 2013, and we will film you on the spot!
RSVP, Time & Location here »

Your video will be incorporated into a multimedia art piece, both art film & painting, so that you can lend your voice to the historic commemoration of “I Have A Dream” which will be taking place across the country this summer. Great effort will be taken to try and use every clip submitted in the final video, and many will also have their portrait painted for the physical component of the piece!

Everyone will get a copy of the finished video, and those selected to be painted, will also get a copy of the finished painting as well, to keep and display.

If you would like to send in your video, please contact my office, including the words “MLK Tribute” in the message or subject, and we will email you the line of the speech we would like you to record. Alternatively, you can let us know which line you’d like to recite, and we will try to give you preference, if it hasn’t already been recorded by someone else. IPhones, webcams, are all ok!

Feel free to download» the list of excerpted lines that will be included in the project. Spots are filling fast; first come first serve.

Thank you so much for reading, and for being a voice for equality and civil rights. We can’t wait to see all of your beautiful faces.

Love,
Adesina, artist.

Upload Module: No Longer Accepting Submissions.
(To ensure we use your clip, please be sure to email us first to confirm your desired line is still available)