A new exhibition sees 90 artists tasked with creating an original piece using envelopes

Couriers of Hope is a newly launched art exhibition presented by Port City Creative Guild, an initiative of Creative Class Collective, the non-profit arm of the multicultural agency Intertrend that’s supported by JAG Molina Family Foundation Fund. The second of the guild’s exhibits, this one sees ten local museums and galleries in California’s Long Beach come together to present over 120 pieces of original, small-scale artworks from over 90 artists. All of which are themed on the topic of hope and created using mailing envelopes.

With an aim to connect artists to communities, nurture the appreciation of art and raise awareness of art organisations, Couriers of Hope is a mammoth collaborative project. The artists involved include Yoskay Yamamoto, Aaron De La Cruz, Rosanne Kang Jovanovski, Christina Catherine Martinez and Kristoffersen San Pablo among many others. Each artist has been briefed to create an original piece on new or found envelopes, a nod to the mail art movement of the 1960s and a reference to the importance of connection during such tremulous times.

As such, Couriers of Hope is a welcomed turn away from digital communication and an invitation to virtually view some astounding works at Port City Creative Guild. The show will also be on view at the Psychic Temple of the Holy Kiss, located in downtown Long Beach, and is running from 19 January – 28 February following the Covid-19 requirements.

The galleries included in the exhibition include Long Beach Museum of Art, Creative Arts Coalition to Transform Urban Space, Flatline, Inspired LBC, The Icehouse x Ink and Drink Long Beach, Arts Council Long Beach, Carolyn Campagna Kleefeld Contemporary Art Museum (CSULB), Pacific Island Ethnic Art Museum, Compound LBC and the Creative Class Collective. Each has selected a group of artists to explore the idea of hope and then transform an envelope into a readily available, small-scale piece of art.

Not only does the exhibition bring a dose of optimism, but it also plans to foster an appreciation of art collection – specifically focusing on young people. As such, all of the works in the show are available for acquisition solely through trading with LBUSD students. This means that the students who wish to acquire a piece of art will first create their own artistic response to the exhibition’s theme, and then trade it with one of the artists involved. Port City Creative Guild is collaboratively working with school teachers in order to provide art kits for all participating students.

“What brings you hope? What are you hoping for? How do you picture hope?” These questions are posed by Port City Creative Guild in the exhibition’s announcement, and are indeed the pillars of the wonderful works involved in the show. After what’s been a difficult year, to say the least, Couriers of Hope is a gentle distraction from it all – not just for the audience, but for the artists and LBUSD students too.