What Color is the Black Sea? was an interactive game conceived by Tbilisi-born, New York-based transdisciplinary artist Levani for a diverse group of students and their parents at P.S. 48 Mapleton School. Through coloring exercises, the project aimed to foster planetary thinking, ecological awareness, imagination, and group problem-solving.
Each intergenerational group was given black-and-white drawings of planetary and celestial bodies, as well as bio-organisms that, while unfamiliar, mimic known earthly forms. A variety of coloring tools, such as markers, colored pencils, and pastels, were available for participants to fill in and adorn and abstracted images as they guessed what they might depict.
Participants had approximately 35 minutes to complete the task, after which they were invited to collectively display their work. Once all the drawings were revealed, the original photos of the images were shown, and participants learned what the objects truly represented.
what color is the black sea? is commissioned by Artists Alliance Inc. and presented in partnership with and support provided by the PS 48 Mapleton School.
About the Collaborators
Levani (Levan Mindiashvili) is a Tbilisi-born, New York-based transdisciplinary artist. They hold MFA from Buenos Aires National University of Arts (IUNA) and BFA from Tbilisi State Academy of Arts. Levani’s previous exhibitions include “Nested in a Place of Becoming” at Kunsthalle Tbilisi, Georgia; “what color is the Black Sea?” at Marisa Newman Projects NY; “Levani’s Room: HOME,” at Spring Break Art Show NY; “I should have kissed you longer” at TAF Tbilisi; “Here” at the Georgian National Museum, Mestia; “in-Between” at Silk Museum, Tbilisi; “In Search of the Miraculous” at NADA Miami; “WHO IS PLUTO” at SubtitledNYC, Brooklyn; “The earth leaked red ochre” at Miriam Gallery, Brooklyn; 5th AIM Biennial at the Bronx Museum of the Arts; Fridman Gallery, NY; “Sanctuary” at the Socrates Sculpture Park, Queens, NY; 1st Immigrant Artists Biennial at Elizabeth Foundation for Arts, NY; Below Grand, NY; 7th Beijing Biennial at National Art Museum of China; “two trees and a leaf” at East Slovak Gallery, Kosovo; “Aesthetics of Repair” at Tartu Art Museum, Estonia; BRIC Biennial, Vol 3.; and others.
Levani is a recipient of the Artist Alliance Inc. LES Studio Program residency, Two Trees BSI fellowship, Socrates Sculpture Park Fellowship, Peter S. Reed Foundation Grant, NYFA IAMP fellowship, AIM Fellowship of the Bronx Museum of the Arts, Creative Times X Summit Grant, NARS Foundation Studio Residency, FABLES Commission grant for Public Art Projects from National Endowments for Arts, and Movistar Arte Joven emerging artist prize. Their work was featured in publications Frieze, Art in America, BOMB, Brooklyn Rail, HYPERALLERGIC, ArtAsia Pacific, ARTPAPERS, The Art Newspaper, Pin-UP Magazine, OSMOS, Observer, Art Margins, Cool Hunting, Artnet, Vogue Ukraine, Forbes Ukraine, Baltic Worlds, and others.
Levani’s work is in public collections of the National Art Museum of China, Beijing; Georgian National Museum, Mestia; and Tbilisi Silk Museum, Georgia.
P.S. 48 is committed to creating a nurturing and equitable environment that fosters risk-taking and encourages lifelong learning for ALL. Students and families will have a voice and choice in their learning, think critically, and communicate effectively. We hold clear and high expectations for all members of our school community and honor the diversity of cultures, passions, and interests. We value collaboration amongst families, teachers, students, and staff to develop a school culture that emphasizes a joy and love for learning.