Souleo and artist Dionis Ortiz join Led Black and Octavio Blanco to explore Harlem's Children's Art Carnival. They trace its MoMA roots to its 1969 establishment by Betty Blayton-Taylor and reveal Jean-Michel Basquiat's history as an intern, illustrating how working with disabled children shaped his iconic style.

Dionis shares his journey from student to steward at 62 Hamilton Terrace as the group discusses community, generational continuity, and local collaboration in the Harlem art scene.

⏱️ TIMECODE CHAPTERS

• 00:00 – Cold Open: Souleo on Basquiat's untold Uptown roots
• 01:09 – Intro: Octavio and Led welcome the audience to Uptown Voices
• 02:54 – Meet Souleo: Over a decade of curating underrepresented Harlem artists
• 04:25 – The Making of Contemporary Artists: Inside the Wallach Art Gallery exhibit
• 07:39 – Souleo's curator origins, art gentrification, and honoring his brother
• 12:33 – Deepening scholarship: Staying out of the "blue-chip" box
• 18:16 – The MoMA origins of the Children's Art Carnival (1942)
• 20:01 – Betty Blayton-Taylor brings the Carnival to Harlem (1969)
• 22:28 – Generational continuity: Dionis Ortiz's full-circle journey
• 26:55 – The Harlem Defender zine and the Harlem Eternal exhibit
• 31:15 – The power of hyperlocal art: Why you don't need to go downtown anymore
• 36:26 – The Basquiat Connection: Interning in Harlem and the origins of the crown
• 40:46 – Dionis on fatherhood, naming his son Lennox, and his unsung creative hero
• 44:48 – Dionis's multimedia process: Cyanotypes, drawing, and found objects
• 46:35 – The future of Uptown art: Grassroots collaboration vs. Corporate interests
• 54:00 – Closing thoughts, URLs, and the beauty of 62 Hamilton Terrace

📋 FULL SHOW NOTES

About the Guests:

Souleo (curator/writer) and Dionis Ortiz (multimedia artist/steward).

Exhibitions & Events Mentioned:

Children's Art Carnival: The Making of Contemporary Artists (Wallach Gallery, thru Sept 13) and Harlem Eternal (62 Hamilton Terrace, opens July 10).

People & Organizations Mentioned:

Betty Blayton-Taylor, Victor D'Amico, MoMA, Basquiat, Warhol, Harlem Defender, Studio Museum, Schomburg Center, NOMAA, Sugar Hill Museum, Art In Flux, Michael A. Cummings, Armando O'Lane.

Connect with the Guests:

• Souleo: souleouniverse.com | IG: @souleouniverse
• Dionis Ortiz: dionisortiz.com | IG: @dionis_o_studio
• Children's Art Carnival: childrensartcarnival.org

The conversation begins with reflections on Father's Day, highlighting the significance of fatherhood and the impact of father figures. It then transitions into a discussion about family and the role of fathers in shaping individuals. Finally, the conversation delves into the ongoing political campaign and the use of smear tactics to influence public opinion. The conversation delves into the outsized influence of international relations in local elections, particularly in the context of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. It also explores the impact of the Knicks parade on the city of New York, highlighting the magic and unity it brought to the community.

Takeaways

• Father's Day reflections
• Family and fatherhood
• Political campaign and smear tactics International influence in local elections
• Impact of international relations on local politics

Chapters

• 00:00 Father's Day Reflections
• 01:07 Family and Fatherhood
• 08:39 Political Campaign and Smear Tactics
• 32:09 International Influence in Local Elections
• 55:16 The Beauty of New York and the Knicks Parade

The conversation revolves around the upcoming event 'Conexion Dominicana' and the significance of celebrating Dominican culture and creating access to the music industry.

Noel and Zeitlin share their personal journeys and the vision for the event, emphasizing the empowerment of the next generation of music industry professionals.

The event details and the inclusive nature of the event are also highlighted, showcasing the impact on the community. "You don't have to be Dominican to attend!

The conversation delves into the importance of Dominican culture and community, as well as the representation of Latinos and Dominicans in the industry. It also explores the unification of the Latino diaspora and the significance of preserving cultural roots while embracing diversity.

After meeting Setlín and Noel, the episode shifts to other topics, including community events, challenges with public pool management, personal experiences with Highbridge, art exhibits, and the World Cup. The hosts also previewed an upcoming episode and discussed the upcoming birthday of one of the host's wife.

Takeaways

• Celebrating Dominican culture
• Empowering the next generation of music industry professionals Dominican culture and community
• Representation in the industry Community events and initiatives
• Challenges with public pool management

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction and Event Announcement
• 02:59 The Importance of Conexion Dominicana
• 06:02 Noel's Journey and Vision for the Event
• 11:59 Zeitlin's Journey and the Event Details
• 18:47 Inclusivity and Community Impact
• 31:08 Dominican Culture and Representation in the Industry
• 32:27 Unifying the Latino Diaspora
• 01:02:40 San Juan Hill Documentary
• 01:04:01 Harlem Summer Nights
• 01:04:46 Challenges with Public Pool Management
• 01:05:20 Highbridge Pool Experience
• 01:08:36 Discussion on New York City Pools
• 01:11:22 Personal Experiences with Highbridge
• 01:20:16 Art Exhibits and Cultural Events
• 01:26:00 Upcoming Episode Preview
• 01:31:41 World Cup Discussion

Support Hyperlocal Media: Uptown Voices is a fiscally sponsored project of the Maysles Documentary Center. Support our mission here: https://bit.ly/4eddiWT