Art stuff, traffic concerns and housing awareness

NORWALK, Conn. —  Here’s a roundup of contemporary Norwalk happenings: 

• Mural exhibition
• Pop art at Rene Soto Gallery
• Traffic Safety Committee meeting
• ‘Ending sexual harassment in housing’

Murals Exhibition at City Hall: Sept. 4

On Wednesday, September 4, 2019, at 5:30 pm, the Norwalk Arts Commission will officially unveil an exhibition at the People’s Gallery, in City Hall, titled Murals & Norwalk: Adornment, Storytelling, and Expression. The People’s Gallery is located in the first-floor hallway leading to the Community Room.

Murals have and continue to play a valuable role expressing the story of Norwalk, from Norwalk’s robust collection of New Deal, WPA murals, to today’s Street Art. This exhibit, curated and designed by Judith Bacal on behalf of Norwalk Arts Commission, celebrates the efforts of the artists and the planners who created artwork to be seen and appreciated by the public.

Pop Art Opening at Rene Soto Gallery, Sept. 5

Rene Soto Gallery at One Wall Street adds to the rebirth of downtown Norwalk by celebrating Vinci Pop Art at an opening reception on Sept. 5, 7-10 p.m. The show runs through Oct. 2.    

Frankie Vinci’s rock ‘n’ roll journey has led him to create the Pop Art he’s so passionate about today. Vinci has shared the stage and/or worked in recording studios with music icons including Aerosmith, Van Halen, Alice Cooper, Meat Loaf, Foreigner, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Tim McGraw, Roberta Flack, and many others. His raw-colorful Pop Art/Street Art pieces are reflective of his years as a songwriter/producer performing in iconic clubs and concert halls from NYC to LA.

Founded in May 2018, Rene Soto Gallery was created to provide emerging and underrepresented artists a stage to debut their work, and to expose the community to diverse perspectives through art. The gallery shows art in all of its forms, from painting, photography, and sculpture, to music, poetry, and performance art. Its founder, Rene Soto, emigrated to Norwalk from Guatemala in 2010; this past May he was honored as a CT Art Hero by the Connecticut Office of the Arts.

Traffic Safety Committee Hosts Event at Library: Sept. 7

On Saturday, September 7, from 10-11 am at the Norwalk Public Library, the newly-formed Norwalk Citizens Traffic Safety Committee will host a unique event, “Driving Mindfully.”

This will be a mix of mindfulness meditation and driver safety, an opportunity to de-stress and become more aware, to come away with a few calming skills to use before you turn the key.

Two Norwalkers will present tips for safer driving: Shubhada Dantale, Ph.D., from The Art of Living Foundation USA, will instruct participants in the practice of meditation and share its benefits for a calmer driving experience. Audrey Cozzarin, founder of the Norwalk Citizens Traffic Safety Committee, will take participants through a review of traffic laws and how to approach various situations in a more productive, healthy way.

The event is supported by Mayor Harry Rilling; State Sen. Bob Duff; the Coalition of Norwalk Neighborhood Associations; the Norwalk Police Department; Norwalk Green Association; Wall Street Neighborhood Association; Norwalk Public Library; Malta House; the Norwalk Historical Society; and Norwalk 2.0., with this list in formation.

The “Driving Mindfully” event is free and open to the public, from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 7 at Norwalk Public Library, located at 1 Belden Avenue. Register today at www.norwalkpl.org.

Seminar, Sept. 18: “Ending Sexual Harassment in Housing”

The Norwalk Fair Housing Advisory Commission,  in partnership with the Connecticut Fair Housing Center, is hosting  a seminar, “Ending Sexual Harassment in Housing, on Wednesday, September 18 in the Community Room at City Hall, 125 East Avenue.

Presenters will include:  Nancy Gifford, Esq., Assistant US Attorney with the US Department of Justice; Ndidi Moses, Esq., Assistant US Attorney with the US Department of Justice;   Greg Kanaan, Equal Opportunity Specialist, HUD FHEO Office, Hartford and Erin Kemple, Esq., Executive Director, Connecticut Fair Housing Center, Hartford.

There will be two sessions,  from 10:30 – 2 pm or 1:00 – 2:30 pm. If you would like to attend the seminar, please complete the Registration Form to select a session. The morning and afternoon sessions will address the same content, so please register to attend only one of two sessions.

For more information, please contact Margaret K. Suib, Esq., Norwalk Fair Housing Officer, at (203) 854-7820 or [email protected].