Y Not?

by A.D. Amorosi

The superheroic ãY Projectä ÷ not to be confused with X Men ÷ comes from a similar desire: to help those too often ostracized. The Y Project exhibit at William Way Community Center has, as its first purpose, the need to raise cash for its collaborative youth programs with ActionAIDS. The second is to publicize the ãtemporaryä Y work of Parisian artist Ralph G. Brancaccio as part of a project initiated by New York Cityâs Foundation for the Arts with Y Discriminate in 1998. ãY is a sculpture project which voices my discontent: ÎWhy do we live so comfortably with an imbalance of human equality and irresponsibility?âä asks the artist in his online mission statement. ãWe need to develop responsible societies that accept and celebrate diversity while stopping repression based on skin color, social position or sexuality. We must stop mortality from malnutrition, curable diseases, religious conflict, illegal drugs and war.ä To both protest and promenade, Brancaccio is set to erect 10 temporary sculptures, all asking questions which address the human condition: Y War, Y Hate, Y AIDS, Y Discriminate and Y Educate. The artist is looking to raise approximately $8,000 for the building of each sculpture as well as to raise funds for his outreach program: teaching HIV-infected and affected youth printmaking skills to be used in the construction of new HIV/AIDS housing. While the exhibit shows off other Brancaccio works ÷ coasters, hand-embroidered pillows, manhole covers made of glass ÷ it will also auction off his portrait of Elizabeth Taylor, created with footprints of her shoe. Silent bidding on this memento of diva history begins at the exhibitâs opening on March 10, and culminates in a ceremony on April 2. The shoe, which Taylor donated to Brancaccio for ãPutting Your Foot Down for AIDS,ä will also be on display. Grand dame. Grand time.

“Y Project,” March 10-April 2, free; public reception Fri., March 14, 5-8 p.m., free; closing reception and auction, April 2, 5:30-8:30 p.m., $50; William Way Community Center, 1315 Spruce St., 215-981-0088.