A Seed on Diamond is owned by Betsy Casanas, who along with Pedro Ospina founded the Semilla Arts Initiative in 2007. "We work with communities that have been neglected for a long time and use art to transform them," said Casanas. "We're incorporating the community and fine art into everything." Previous projects have included the rehabilitation of public spaces, like last year's construction of a "Children's Garden" in North Kensington.
The new gallery space - on Diamond Street in North Philly - will serve as the home base for Semilla, which means "seed" in Spanish. "We're doing a lot of work and activism, to try to change the social conditions in North Philly," said Casanas, who was raised and resides in the area. "There's just so much drugs, so much alcohol, so much noise."
Casanas, who has her own piece of artwork in "Rooted in Ancestors," bought the Seed space in June but didn't intend to open it up so quickly. David Acosta, who curated "Rooted in Ancestors," discussed the possibility with Casanas this summer and she offered up her new gallery.
"It was just a perfect storm," said Acosta, who noted that the participating artists had contributed their work without being paid. "It attests to the commitment to the artists, all of whom have worked in community, for whom community is important, to launch community forward."
Casanas is all about community. The next planned exhibit at A Seed on Diamond will feature local artists in the neighborhood.
"Rooted in Ancestors" will run through until Nov. 13.
"Many cultures have ways of memorializing loved ones," said Acosta. "The intent was to find a way to create discourse around what memory and remembrance mean to these individuals."
