Name: Jesse Lee Denning

What is your job?

I am a freelance art curator and work more traditional hours as the Director of Marketing for an architecture firm.

What social causes are most important to you?

I was raised in a household where we went on peace marches and demonstrations every weekend. So living as a socially conscious individual is ingrained.

What charity/ies do you support – and how?

I am currently organizing an art benefit for the tattooist Matty No Times who recently underwent a liver transplant. It’s a huge group show with over 100 artists participating. All art has been priced affordably in the hopes that we can raise enough money to help Matty with his mountain of medical bills and debt. Many of the pieces are priced well below what they would normally be and we hope to sell out the show!

Why do you have a passion for this one in particular, is there a personal tie?

Absolutely, first off Matty is a friend of mine. Secondly, tattooing/tattooists/the tattooed (and really artists in general) as a community, need to support one another as we are often pushed to the outskirts of society in terms of not having access to healthcare, etc.

Is there a particular way you would want to encourage readers to be involved?

Please come to the event. There will also be raffle tickets. Just by showing up you will be supporting. We will also have the works online for purchase if you can’t make it to the gallery. The show will be at the YES Gallery (http://yesgalleryyes.com/) located at 147 India Street and Manhattan Avenue in Greenpoint (Brooklyn) The exhibition will run from July 17th to July 23rd with a special opening reception on Saturday, July 17th from 5 - 10PM

How would you define social responsibility?

The opposite of apathy.

Related Links:
Three Kings Tattoo : http://www.threekingstattoo.com/site/newsarchive.php?id=29