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March 29, 2024 10 mins
First, while Kensington is in the news for its many challenges - there are individuals who are working to make the community a place to grow and thrive.  I speak to Nicole Moy, whose family has called Kensington home for decades.  Moy has created "The Bridge" an art gallery and event space in her neighborhood.  The first major show is a pop-up exhibit "The Bridge to Kensington" featuring two activist artists Bilal Qayyum and Gilberto Gonzalez.  The exhibit takes place Friday April 5 from 5:30- 9:00 p.m. at 2550 Kensington Avenue in Philadelphia.  
TheBridge@bridgestudiophl.com
“The Bridge to Kensington” Eventbrite
IG: TheBridgeStudioPhilly
IG: @gilbertogonzalez2022
IG: @bilalqayyum28  theqayyumcollectionllc.com
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Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Good morning, Welcome to Insight,a show about empowering our community. I'm
Lorraine Ballotmorrow. We'll tell you abouta career resource fair for re entering citizens,
the power of Girl Scouts to supportfuture leaders. At black Tie Gaye
Bengo, the best party for agreat cause. First, we hear so
often about all the negative things happeningin Kensington, but believe it or not,

(00:23):
there are so many positive things thatare happening. Businesses that are starting
up, individuals who are trying touplift that community. One business that we're
going to put a spotlight on iscalled The Bridge. It's in Kensington.
It's a black owned and woman ownedgallery and venue. We're going to be
talking with its owner and founder,along with two artists who are going to

(00:45):
be featured in an exhibit called TheBridge to Kensington. It's a pop up
exhibit. We're going to talk withNicole moy first to discuss why you decided
to start a gallery and venue inKensington at a time when people are looking
at Kensington as being such a challengingneighborhood. Tell us more so, I'm
a native of Kensington and I havea heavy background in corporate America. But

(01:10):
I'm also creative, So this spaceis actually there to my heart because I
feel like it allows me to getback to the side that I've been depriving
myself to but also share with thecommunity that needs to be uplifted. When
you think of Kensingtain, you thinkof all the things that's taking place there,
the addictions to crisis. No onethinks of anything positive with Kensington,

(01:33):
and I'm hoping that this space wouldbe the platform to change the narrative.
The reason why I've decided to doour gallery is because of what I just
mentioned, but also I've noticed Ididn't want to be a business that just
takes from the community. I actuallywanted to be a business that gives back
to the community. And I knowthat speaking to different business owners, residents,
and just people that in the Kensingtonarea, this is very exciting to

(01:56):
hear for them when I share thisbusiness vision, it's more than just Kensington.
We don't actually have a creative hubin the Philadelphia area. So I'm
hoping that I can not only changethe narrative in Kensington, but also create
a creative hub for all creatives.So this is my little baby. I
guess you would call it. There'sno reason for us to keep going to
Old City, Fishtown or the Liberties. We have a space in our home,

(02:17):
so why not use that space andbe able to share it as we
see fit. And I'm hoping thateven the people that's struggling in the area,
I would love to give them anopportunity to use the space because we
all have stories to share, weall have some type of creativity, and
this will be the platform for themto be able to use that. You
have an upcoming pop up exhibit featuringartists belaal Tayum and Gilberto Gonzalez. Will

(02:43):
tell you more about them in justa moment, but tell us about this
exhibit, the Bridge to Kensington.It's actually going to be my first art
exhibit, which I'm very excited about. So we actually get the opportunity to
see it and the form that it'smeant to be in. I just kept
sharing the opportunity and for individuals.I think one day I just mentioned it
to gil we're both committee people inthe eighteenth Ward, but I never knew

(03:06):
that he was also artist as well, So we actually got the opportunity to
speak, share the space, sendpictures of the space meet in person,
and then the idea came about beingable to use the space to have an
art showcase, which I think isfantastic and if I'm not mistaken, I
think Barla also mentioned that he hasn'teither shared or showed his pieces in like
a few years now, So I'mactually excited to bring two artists together or

(03:30):
either share their story or whatever storythey think is important that they want to
share to the community in one spaceand hopefully have an opportunity to engage,
collaborate and do this again. SoI'm very excited that this art event is
actually the first art event in thespace, so I'm very excited for it
to be taking place, all right, and that is Friday, April fifth,
from five point thirty to nine attwenty five fifty Kensington Avenue. So

(03:54):
let's talk to the artists. Andin the interest of full disclosure, Gilberto
Gonzale is my husband, Budd.He is also an extraordinary fine artist.
And also belal Cayum, who I'veknown for decades now as a community activist
and the founder co founder of theFather's Day Rally Committee, is also I

(04:14):
discovered in the last five years,is also an extraordinary artist as well.
So I'm going to start with youBelal. Your paintings embrace the richness of
African heritage, and I wonder ifyou can talk a bit about your work,
which combines iconography from Africa with elementsof social justice and community tell us

(04:36):
more. First of all, thankyou for having me on. I majored
in art in high school back inthe sixties, and I stopped painting because
of my involvement when I went awayto Kyle, South South got involved in
the black power and civil rights movement. When I came home, I was
continue that kind of work, andduring the pandemic, I just got bored

(04:59):
to be on zoom all that kindof stuff. And one day I literally
had paint breahs in some paint inthe campus and I started painting again after
I guess you could say almost fortyyears. My images are but I paint
comes from my head. I likeBowld colors and also do a lot of
African images in my work. I'mleaning more now to doing mixed media,

(05:24):
where I'm doing a lot of collodgs. Let's say that reflects the movement or
history going back to slavery up tothe present day. So I am very
thrilled to participate in this art showwith Guilt, and I'm really thrilled that
we have a young black woman,a business woman who has taking the first

(05:46):
step for success and establishing her theBridge Studio. And since we're going to
be the first authors of it inher place, I'm really thrilled to be
a part of that history. Iheard it when she was talking about building
a hub for artists and all thatKensington could be a Yes, it could
be a spot in the city ofPhiladelphia that that could happen, and she

(06:10):
clearly is going to be the one'sgoing to kind of lead that effort.
Well, Gil, So your workis so vibrant. It's full of bold
colors, much like malals, butin a very different direction. Your art
serves as a tribute to the resilienceand vitality of the Latino community. You
basically create these images of many locationsthat are lost to gentrification in the old

(06:34):
Spring Garden area, as well asother themes. But tell us more about
your art, No, I'm originallyborn and raised in the Spring Garden community,
and as you said, we're gentrifiedout of there in Kensington. My
father got me a camera and thatkind of what saved my life, right,
was that camera. So I've beentaking photos of Kensington for over forty

(06:55):
years, and so a lot ofthe imagery you see on my canvases are
factories and buildings that no longer exist. My education is I went to University
of the Arts. One of myfavorite forms of art is Impressionism. So
I combined Impressionism with graffiti and that'swhere I get my imagery and my colors.

(07:15):
But it's also, you know,one of the things that some people
like it, some people don't.When you get real close, you see
a lot of bad words in myvating. But it's just about expression,
right, It's about expressing what I'mgoing through at that moment or what I've
gone through in my life. Andthat's so when you see my paintings,
that's the energy you get back toyou. Nicole. Let's remind folks the

(07:36):
Bridge to Kensington pop up exhibit attwenty five fifty Kensington Avenue. Tell us
again, it's on Friday the fifth, from five point thirty to nine.
If people want more information about yourgallery, your event space and about this
exhibit, where do they go?We do have a website Rich studiophl dot

(07:56):
com. So the location is twentyfive fifty Kinston Avenue can also be reached
six zero nine three three seven twoeight four five. The Instagram account is
the Bridge Studio Philly, so ifyou reach and contact me on Instagram,
I'm always available there message and thenit also has our website and other contact
as well. And Gil you mentionedthat people could also call you in addition

(08:18):
to six seven two five one ninetyeight oh nine. You all have Instagram
and belal do you also have awebsite for more information about are you still
working on it? Well, Ihave a website. It's the Kyam Collection
LLC dot com. Right, andwe want to spell out coyum because not
everybody will know p h e qA y y U L Collection co O

(08:46):
l l e C t io nl LC dot com. And gil you
also have an Instagram. What isyour Instagram? So my instagram is Gilbert
Artist. Thank you all of youfor joining us here today and checking out
the Bridge to Kensington, which isan exhibit that is happening on the fifth

(09:09):
of April, and that is fromfive point thirty to nine at twenty five
point fifty Kensington Avenue. Thanks toNicole Moy who is the founder and CEO
of this gallery and event venue,and also belal Cayum and Gilberto Gonzales too,
artists that are going to be featuredat the Bridge to Kensington, thank

(09:31):
you so much. We'll have moreinsight after these messages.
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