{"id":2203,"date":"2025-10-14T11:39:23","date_gmt":"2025-10-14T11:39:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/2203\/"},"modified":"2025-10-14T11:39:23","modified_gmt":"2025-10-14T11:39:23","slug":"1-million-art-pollination-project-tackles-food-injustice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/2203\/","title":{"rendered":"$1 million Art Pollination project tackles food injustice"},"content":{"rendered":"

When social practice artist Juan William Ch\u00e1vez<\/a> began working on the Art Pollination project<\/a> nearly two years ago, he had no idea what the end product would be.<\/p>\n

With the help of a $1 million grant given to the City of Orlando<\/a> by the Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge<\/a>, Ch\u00e1vez entered the Central Florida community with the goal of addressing food justice and insecurity. With no preconceived notions of what would emerge on his canvases or in the community, Ch\u00e1vez first got to work by getting to know Orlando.<\/p>\n

Central Florida nonprofits \u2014 including Black Bee Honey<\/a>, 4Roots<\/a>, Hebni Nutrition Consultants<\/a>, Inc., Fleet Farming<\/a>, Second Harvest Food Bank<\/a> and the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Studies<\/a> \u2014 all pollinated Ch\u00e1vez and 20 Florida artists with ideas to create food-inspired art. Meanwhile, the creators worked to further the missions of each partner organization by touching on key themes in their work.<\/p>\n

\u201cSocial practice is a way of making work, and it\u2019s also a process. The process has an aesthetic. It\u2019s how you come together with people, how you engage in different topics,\u201d said Ch\u00e1vez, who lives in St. Louis. \u201cYou go in, not knowing what the process is, because you\u2019re you have to listen and get a lot of feedback. You have to understand the conditions and the environment. What are the partners\u2019 needs? What are the community\u2019s needs?\u201d<\/p>\n

The results of this two-year collaboration are an exhibition of Ch\u00e1vez\u2019s work at the Mennello Museum of Art<\/a> (opening Friday), murals on Church Street, at Lake Lorna Doone Park and along the Orlando Urban Trail, exhibitions at CityArts<\/a> and Orlando City Hall\u2019s Terrace Gallery<\/a>, art on urban billboards and a slate of interactive events for the community through the end of this year.<\/p>\n

Mennello Museum visitors can also see a mural by Central Florida creator Luca Molnar<\/a> that pays homage to Florida\u2019s farm workers and food justice activists, past and present. These faces are depicted in a colorful display outside the museum in a newly refurbished courtyard with native plants from Fleet Farming.<\/p>\n

\""Worker“Worker Bees” is a new mural by Central Florida artist Luca Molnar that pays homage to Florida farm workers and activists outside of the Mennello Museum in Orlando on Oct. 6. (Patrick Connolly\/Orlando Sentinel)<\/p>\n

Before the process of creating work could begin, Ch\u00e1vez worked with the food partners to collect survey data and establish key themes \u2014 including food as medicine, addressing historical injustice and knowledge sharing for growing and cooking food \u2014 to touch on in the resulting art and events.<\/p>\n

After a national call for a second lead artist on the project, choreographer and activist Emily Johnson<\/a> was chosen to contribute dance and quilting to the project. She will appear alongside other performing and visual artists this Saturday at an event titled Live at the Oak, taking place just outside the Mennello Museum underneath the massive live oak tree called \u201cThe Mayor.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"AnAn Art Pollination workshop gathers members of Black Bee Honey to work with Emily Johnson, left, and Juan William Ch\u00e1vez, right, at Grand Avenue Neighborhood Center in June. (Courtesy of Mennello Museum)<\/p>\n

The event will also feature spoken word, an element Ch\u00e1vez thought to add during one of his early visits to the City Beautiful after hearing a poem penned and read by Orlando\u2019s poet laureate emeritus, Shawn Welcome<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cPollination, for me, is all about movement. Events are kind of popping up around the city and pollinating different art activities. So I really wanted movement to be an element in this project,\u201d Ch\u00e1vez said. \u201cThe spoken word aspect was something that was not in my mind. Having no preconceived notions usually makes the project so much better. Shawn\u2019s addition has been phenomenal.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"ShawnOrlando’s poet laureate emeritus Shawn Welcome leads Black Bee Honey youth group members through an Art Pollination poetry workshop to hone their creative skills. (Courtesy Mennello Museum)<\/p>\n

In Central Florida, where one in seven people face food insecurity<\/a>, Ch\u00e1vez and his collaborators hope to elevate the mission of the nonprofit partners in this project and to share a sense of place and history while helping the community learn more about where their food comes from.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want to encourage thought about food, about place and the natural environment. We live in a world now where we\u2019re often removed from the natural environment when it\u2019s so connected to who we are,\u201d said Kiersten Torrez, Ch\u00e1vez\u2019s partner and master gardener who collaborated with him on this project. \u201cThe more that we start to engage with our environment, the more we can think about other ways to address these bigger social issues.\u201d<\/p>\n

Find me\u00a0@PConnPie on Instagram<\/a>\u00a0or send me an email:\u00a0pconnolly@orlandosentinel.com<\/a>. Stay up to date with our latest travel, arts and events coverage by subscribing to our newsletters at\u00a0orlandosentinel.com\/newsletters<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"WorksWorks by Juan William Ch\u00e1vez were inspired by bees and the artist’s Peruvian heritage for the “Art Pollination” exhibition at the Mennello Museum in Orlando. (Patrick Connolly\/Orlando Sentinel)
\nIf you go<\/p>\n

\u201cJuan William Ch\u00e1vez: Art Pollination\u201d opens with a free public reception from 6:30-8 p.m. Oct. 10 (members-only preview from 5:30-6:30 p.m.) at 900 E. Princeton St. in Orlando. The event features a spoken word performance by Orlando\u2019s poet laureate emeritus Shawn Welcome, music by DJ Tvel, catering by Hebni Nutrition and Art Pollination ice cream by Smile Ice Cream and Black Bee Honey.<\/p>\n

\u201cLive at the Oak: Poetry, Performance and Pollination\u201d is from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Oct. 11 outside under the oak tree at 900 E. Princeton St. in Orlando. The event features performances by Welcome and other poets, dancer Emily Johnson and a planting and sound performance by Juan William Ch\u00e1vez. Guests can also join an art conversation with Luca Molnar about her \u201cWorker Bees\u201d mural.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur Future, Our Food: A Community Quilting Project and Art Pollination\u201d is from noon-4:30 p.m. Oct. 12 at 900 E. Princeton St. in Orlando. During this free family funday, join Emily Johnson as she leads a hands-on community quilt-making activity with fashion designer Korina Emmerich. The quilt installation will be shared at the Art Pollination main event on Dec. 6. More information: mennellomuseum.org<\/a><\/p>\n

\"OrlandoOrlando mayor Buddy Dyer and artists gather for a group photo during the unveiling of the “Murals On Church Street” Art Pollination project in downtown Orlando.\u00a0The project is made possible by a $1 million grant through the Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge. (Joe Burbank\/Orlando Sentinel)
\nOther events<\/p>\n

Art Pollination: Local artist exhibition opening reception: 30 billboards, by local artists, on display citywide through Dec. 6. Art Pollination honey ice cream from Smiles Ice Cream made in partnership with Black Bee Honey.<\/p>\n

When: 5:30-8:00 p.m. Nov. 7; Exhibition on display through Jan. 26.
Where: Terrace Gallery, Orlando City Hall, 400 S. Orange Ave. in Orlando<\/p>\n

Free Family Funday: Art Pollination workshop, paper flowers with Ha\u2019ani Hogan.<\/p>\n

When: Noon-4 p.m., Nov. 9.
Where: Mennello Museum of American Art, 900 E. Princeton St. in Orlando<\/p>\n

Art Pollination: Local artist exhibition opening reception with Art Pollination Honey Ice Cream from Smiles Ice Cream made in partnership with Black Bee Honey
When: 6-9 p.m. Nov. 20; Exhibition on display through Dec. 14.
Where: City Arts, Downtown Arts District, 39 S. Magnolia Ave. in Orlando<\/p>\n

Art Pollination Main Event
When: Noon-5 p.m., Dec. 6
Where: Lake Lorna Doone Park, 1519 W. Church St. in Orlando<\/p>\n

Art Pollination unveiling with Juan William Ch\u00e1vez \u2014 art, plantings, tables, pollinators, screened grow bag take away
\nApron & Quilt Making, Zine Distribution
\nPerformance by Emily Johnson
\nMurals by Alexis Collum & Tasanne Durrett and sculpture by Ha\u2019Ani Hogan
\nPerformances by poet Shawn Welcome, food justice slam poets, Black Bee Honey poets, Marquis Lee
\nPerformance by FusionFest \u2013 food and harvest international dance
\nCommunity Meal
\nArt Pollination honey ice cream from Smiles Ice Cream made with Black Bee Honey
\nPerformance by Jones High School Marching Band<\/p>\n

Free Family Funday: Art Pollination workshop, bee baths with PJ Sveda.
When: Noon-4 p.m. Dec. 14
Where: Mennello Museum of American Art, 900 E. Princeton St. in Orlando<\/p>\n

Free Family Funday: Art Pollination workshop, abstract animals with Mado Smith.
When: Noon-4 p.m. Jan. 11
Where: Mennello Museum of American Art, 900 E. Princeton St. in Orlando<\/p>\n

Coffee Talk with local Art Pollination artists: Exhibition closing reception
When: 10 a.m.-noon Jan. 14
Where: Terrace Gallery, Orlando City Hall, 400 S. Orange Ave.<\/p>\n

Originally Published: October 9, 2025 at 1:00 PM EDT<\/p>\n