It’s a Summer of Love at Young At Art Museum ! Kicking off the celebrations is the opening of XOXO: An Exhibit About Love & Forgiveness, an exhibition created by Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh with support from The Fetzer Institute. A Guest Artists Series and themed art stations at Young At Art, as well as interactive arts activities at venues along Fort Lauderdale beach are to follow.

            XOXO: An Exhibit About Love & Forgiveness fosters awareness of the power of love and forgiveness through activities that allow visitors to think about, feel and talk about these emotions. The exhibition is on display from June 10 through Sept. 10.

“This is a summer of love and fun at Young At Art,” said Mindy Shrago, founder and CEO of Young At Art. “But it’s also about exploring what we think about love and forgiveness. We want everyone who comes to ask questions, listen and learn more about the people they are with as they share, connect, converse, think and feel. They’ll discover these feelings and the effects they have on themselves and others.”

During XOXO: An Exhibit About Love & Forgiveness, visitors can

·         illuminate a hidden message about love by holding hands;

·         answer questions about love and forgiveness and tie them to a wall for others to read;

·         write down loving thoughts and press them into tokens of love to keep or give;

·         work together to balance on a seesaw or connect an infinite story puzzle;

·         create silhouettes using a unique set up of light boxes;

·         build and explore a variety of facial expressions using empathy blocks;

·         hug a soft sculpture that responds with a comforting sound;

·         release the negative by drawing or writing down what makes them angry or sad and then crank it through a paper shredder; and

·         speak into tone phones and watch how their voice affects shapes projected on a screen.

Alongside XOXO is Palindrome Park, an immersive installation by artist Francesco Lo Castro. This exhibition allows visitors entry into a geometric, triangular ball pit where they can play and view 3D artworks and then build their own palindrome sculptures with shapes and colors inspired by Lo Castro.  By the end of their journey visitors are taught how to create order and balance, which is an integral component of a compassionate person.

“What is so fantastic about this exhibition is that we can use facial expressions, words, movement and art making to explore what love and forgiveness means to us and to others. In today’s environment, this exhibition makes a very powerful social statement,” said Shrago. “XOXO encourages us to feel and talk about emotions through a variety of activities. We are excited about bringing XOXO to South Florida.”

Young At Art kicks off a summer of special XOXO events at the Museum in June. Every Tuesday in June at 2 p.m., Young At Art also will host a Guest Artists Series focusing on love and communication with Amanda Covach on June 6; eye-popping patterns with MILAGROS Collective with Joey Fillastre and Felici Asteinza on June 13; Palindrome Park with Francesco Lo Castro on June 20; and teddy bear art prints with Lisa Rockford on June 27.

Then every Friday and Saturday in June at the Museum, Young Art will host interactive art stations including Love Pop-Up Cards! Invitation Cards June 2-3; Love Jim Dine! Pastels June 9-10; Love Escher! Heart Tessellations June 16-17; Love Eric Carle! Watercolor Creatures June 23-23; and The Love Diversity! Rainbow Collage June 30-July 1.

Other Guest Artist Series and new interactive art stations also are planned for July and August.

Then at venues along Fort Lauderdale beach, Young at Art is hosting a family-friendly celebration marking the 50th anniversary of the 1967 Summer of Love with hands-on art activities, open-air painting, a flower power mural, live music and performances.

YAA’s Summer of Love is funded in part by the Broward County Board of County Commissioners as recommended by the Broward Cultural Council and the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau; the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture; the Beach Business Improvement District; myfortlauderdalebeach.com; and Funding Arts Broward, supporting innovative local visual and performing arts in Broward County.

Tickets to XOXO: An Exhibit About Love & Forgiveness is included in Museum admission: $14 per person; $12 for Broward County residents, seniors and children over age 1; and $11 for military members and their immediate families. Young At Art Museum is located at 751 SW 121st. Ave. in Davie. Hours are Monday through Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, call 954-424-0085 or visit YoungAtArtMuseum.org.