Joel in Cape Verde, West Africa: Sao Vicente Carnaval

Showing posts with label Sao Vicente Carnaval. Show all posts

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Carnaval in Sao Vicente!

Luckily for us, we were on the island for one of the world's great Carnaval celebrations! For days leading up to Carnaval we experienced the high energy and creativity of Mindelo's residents, who dress in crazy costumes and dance in the street, in the clubs, and have huge parades. We had the time of our lives and met lots of new friends!

me and Alex in our Carnaval costumes

me with new friends in Mindelo

About Joel Bergner

Joel Bergner is an award-winning mural artist whose work, focusing on issues of culture, diversity and history, explores a variety of local and international social issues. His murals are brightly- colored, intense and detailed, and are currently on display in many US cities such as Washington DC, San Francisco, Chicago and Baltimore, and abroad in Brazil, Cuba, El Salvador and Peru, and most recently in Cape Verde, West Africa. Joel leads youth mural projects and collaborates with community groups, organizations and fellow artists. Last year Joel was a featured artist in the Amnesty International Human Right Art Festival. Joel’s artwork is heavily inspired by his community-based work, including positions with a variety of non-profit organizations. He has taught in a juvenile detention center and has worked with foster youth, international refugees, the homeless and the mentally ill. He spent years counseling marginalized youth who were struggling with issues such as violence, prostitution, and drugs. For more information on Joel and images of work, click here to see his website.