Newcomers Shine on PEI
Seven artists showcase their work at the Newcomers Art Exhibit at the Gallery @ The Guild in Charlottetown this month
Posted: Monday 23rd March 2009 08:52
BY SALLY COLE
The Guardian
Like the stars that appear in the evening sky, newcomers can brighten their communities. And seven new Islanders are allowing this light to shine at the Newcomers Art Exhibit at the Gallery @ The Guild in Charlottetown this month.
One is Ihsan Attar, a photographer who came from Syria in 2006 to study at UPEI. He’s thrilled that Childhood, a photograph of a little boy scampering through the streets of Syria with a satchel of plastic bags, and Lonely Tree, a lush green tree in a barren landscape, are among the pieces chosen to be part of the exhibition.
“It’s great to receive the recognition. My photography tries to show not only the natural beauty of places, peoples and events but also to serve as an educational cultural medium. “As depictions of the Middle East have lately been less than pleasant, I feel this teaching aspect is especially poignant,” says Attar, whose work was also featured in a recent exhibit of Islamic Art at the National Museum of Malaysia.
In another corner of the gallery, Natasha Kudashkina is showing abstract paintings. “Everything I create comes from my imagination. This is one of the dreamscape series,” says Kudashkina, pointing to Untitled, a montage of eyes, faces, arms and buildings. In another painting, a man is being pulled out of a house by a woman on a broom. “She has just discovered she’s a witch and she wants to take him off (away with her), but he doesn’t know it yet,” says Kudashkina, who was inspired by The Master and Margarita, a book by Mikhail Bulgakov.
“It’s very popular in my country,” says Kudashkina who came to P.E.I. from Russia in 2005 and currently studies graphic design at Holland College. Besides getting to show her work, the show has increased her public profile, she says. “I’ve met a lot of new people through the experience. It will also be a new addition for my resume and will help my future,” says Kudashkina.
On other walls there are works by Mauricio Aristizabal of Columbia; Kristen Johnson, Tennessee; Karin Melzer, California; Jean Raymond, Montreal and Warren Reeson, England. Watching as these artists interact with the public at the recent opening, Darrin White, executive director of the P.E.I. Council of the Arts, is pleased.
“P.E.I. can sometimes be a difficult place to fit into when you’re from away. Islanders will acknowledge that. That was my experience when I arrived on P.E.I. several years ago. But I got here as a Canadian-born, tall, white, English-speaking male. So when I first thought about doing this show, I thought, ‘If that is my experience what must it be like (for someone) who comes from a different country, with different circumstances?’ I also know that the arts community here can be quite welcoming. But how do you make that connection? How can artists from other countries who may not be fitting in yet be exposed to others in the arts community? That’s where the idea of the art show came from. It also frees artists who are newcomers to break out of the isolation they often feel when they come here,” he says.
And it has some long-lasting benefits. A week later, Attar is still realizing the importance of being part the show. “Not only did I sell three of my photographs but people are stopping me on the street and are telling me that they like my photos. So I’ve gotten to talk about the things I created and made some new friends.”
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