Art Aids Art first met fashion designer Mondo Guerra at the
San Gabriel Valley AIDS Action Summit, where he was keynote speaker.Guerra gained international exposure as
a contestant on TV’s Project Runway, making news not only by creating
winning designs, but by publicly revealing his HIV+ status for the first
time.Following his keynote
address, we were able to share a few words with Guerra and presented him with a
South African AIDS pin.
Meanwhile in South Africa, artisans in our Women’s Skills
Development Program were launching a new entrepreneurial initiative called Beads
of Change. We contacted them to
share news from the summit, and during our brainstorm session decided to
approach Guerra about featuring his winning Pozitivity design in beads.He loved the idea and ordered 250
pins.
“Art has
always helped me overcome difficulties in my life,” Guerra said. “I’m
proud to support Art Aids Art and Beads of Change to empower people living with
and affected by HIV/AIDS through their art.”
Since
that time, Beads of Change has produced custom designs for several South African tour
groups and is ready to take orders.
We hope to connect Beads of Change with American
companies and organizations and invite you to send us your ideas. Email us at info@artaidsart.org to receive flyers that you can share with your contacts.
On August 9, 1956, 20,000
South African women participated in a national march to protest pass laws
designed by the White-minority Apartheid government to control the movement of
Blacks. The marchers brought petitions signed by over 100,000 women opposed to
the laws, which required them to carry pass books that could be checked at any
time by police. (photo by Jurgen Schadeberg, from Art Aids Art's traveling exhibit).
On the way to protest at the
Union Buildings, the women sang the following freedom song:
Wathint’ abafazi, wathint’
imbokodo, uza kufa!
[When] you strike the
women, you strike a rock, you will be crushed [you will die]!
Since 1994, August 9 has
been recognized as National Women’s Day in South Africa.Art Aids Art solutes the spirit of
these courageous women as a reminder that we must all continuously work toward
social justice for all people.
Creativity in Crisis: Unfolding the AIDS Memorial Quilt
Art Aids Art is proud to participate in the 2012 Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, D.C.
A focal point of the event is Creativity in Crisis: Unfolding the AIDS Memorial Quilt, recognizing the power of the arts to heal in times of trauma and grief. It's hard to believe that this year marks the 25th anniversary of the NAMES Foundation's AIDS Quilt (and the 30th anniversary of AIDS). The world’s largest piece of community art with over 48,000 panels, it was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize in 1989.
If you’ve ever seen the quilt in person, I’m sure you haven’t forgotten the experience. I remember the last time it came to the Rose Bowl as if it was yesterday. From afar, the Quilt's massive size takes your breath away. Up close, the messages and sentiments expressed in each panel tear your heart in half… and perhaps incite a bit of seething rage at forces that have slowed medical advances and multiplied the suffering of those who have suffered with symptoms and stigmas (and all too often perished).
From July 4-8 at the Folklife Festival, Art Aids Art is exhibiting the art and handcrafts of 25 individual artisans and 5 collectives to highlight ways in which South African communities are responding to poverty and disease in innovative and resourceful ways. If you live near the capital, we urge you to visit. Let’s work together to conquer HIV/AIDS and to advocate for the human rights of those carrying the virus.
If you know anyone who has died of AIDS, we invite you to click the comment link below and leave them a message.
In support of the 2011 Vagina Monologues at Mills College,
Art Aids Art ordered custom printed M&M’s to commemorate the event. The
Mars company informed us that use of the word “vagina” was inappropriate.How was this possible in 2011, we
ranted?
In response, we conceived some references that would make it past the
censors.However, when
we placed a second order, Mars informed us that the original was mistakenly
accepted.So here they are,
history’s only vagina-friendly M&M’s!#Vagina
JUNGLE JUSTICE 2012: Service learning highlights from Cape Town, South Africa
Art Aids Art’s annual social action trip to Cape Town combined education,
volunteering and socially conscious tourism.
Prior to our arrival, Khayelitsha mothers planted the first seedlings
for the rooftop garden at eKhaya eKasi Center.
Thanks to Nicholas Ornstein & Alexis Randolph
for sponsoring the garden's launch.
Members of the Women's Skills Program (Nokhanyiso, Esther & Nosakhele)
prepared a feast to welcome our U.S. volunteers...
...who, in the spirit of service, joined in (Sam with Nadeem & Yoliswa).
The Jungle Justice team received a tour of the center led by new coordinator Lulama Sihlabeni (in white). We were honored that Board Members Jennifer Fletcher and Juliana Jones (far right) were among the intrepid group. They were joined by Art Aids Art intern and musician Sam McAdam, journalist Justin Chapman and musician Bruce McAdam.
After the day's activities, we were treated to lamb curry, chicken, squash, greens,
fried potatoes and samp (similar to hominy).
The welcome concluded with a surprise announcement of the Tripadvisor Award to
Blue On Blue's Yoliswa and Nadeem (visit our home page for further info).
Farewells came all too soon!
The Women's Skills Program continues to work on new designs, such as...
...these heart ornaments made with shwe-shwe fabric and felt.
During literacy and theater exercises, there was a cross-cultural discovery that similar versions of
"Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" exist in both Xhosa and English.
The new theater project launched with a rendition of the children's story Jamela's Dress.
Art Aids Art's supporters continuously give us great feedback about the work that we source from southern African artisans, providing a livelihood to families who are lifting themselves out of poverty.
With that in mind, we ask you to take 60 seconds to choose your favorites (up to 10) from our new arrivals. Your input will help us to provide feedback to the artists and focus our marketing for the 2011 holiday season.
To thank you for your effort, you will be entered into a drawing for $25 in credit at LovingAfrica.com, our online store. The drawing will be held on September 21, so take a minute now to give your input.
To register for the drawing, please leave your full name by clicking the comments link below on the right (if you know that we already have your email address), or simply email us to say that you voted. Thank you!
Jungle Justice in Cape Town, South Africa:
Art, Education & Engagement
Art Aids Art’s annual service learning trip to Cape Town combines education, volunteering and socially conscious tourism. In March, Jungle Justice 2011 featured the participation of Lesley College students and professors for a course entitled "Art Therapy, Empowerment and Community in South Africa." The week emphasized methods for supporting literacy and self-expression that are fundamental to development and wellbeing.
Here are highlights from two days during this immersive week.
Day 1
Jungle Justice participants joined mothers from Art Aids Art’s Women’s Skills Program for activities at eKhaya eKasi Center in Khayelitsha.
The morning began with tours of the center, including an opportunity to shop at the Art Boutique, where the variety of local handcrafts, especially those made from recycled and repurposed materials, has greatly expanded.
Pictured below, eKhaya eKasi’s new manager, Busisiwe Dalingozi, worked the register while handmade Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu dolls eagerly watched. Welcome, Busi!
Lunch offered informal time for getting to know each other…
…and then the intensive work began. Sheet music was distributed and the Jungle Justice group was given a crash course in singing the South African National Anthem, Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika. The group overcame the significant linguistic challenge of pronouncing Xhosa words. Thanks to Tory DeYoung for this video clip.
After the vocal workout, the group received an introduction to persona dolls, an effective tool for encouraging storytelling.
With dolls completed and stories shared, a children’s literacy activity followed, featuring call-and-response, song and dance (sorry, no photos… everyone was fully engaged!). By 3pm we were exhilarated and exhausted.
Day 2
The Jungle Justice group traveled to Philani Nutrition Center, also based in Khayelitsha, to work with young children and teachers.
Lesley College’s Nancy Jo Cardillo led three preschool classes through participatory movement and rhythm activities.
After sharing lunch with Philani teachers, Lesley’s Jane Richardson and local educator Gilly Barton conducted a teacher training workshop in the use of sand play, another means of stimulating self-reflection and expression, both verbal and nonverbal.
Teachers chose their characters and props from an extensive array of available resources…
…then carefully created scenarios in sand trays. The activity culminated with the sharing of stories developed through the process of sand play.
These two days represent just a sampling of the week’s activities, which included silkscreening with the Women’s Skills Project, visits to Robben Island, Table Mountain and the Cape of Good Hope, and more.
On the final day, the Women’s Skills Project presented the group with t-shirts featuring its very first silkscreen design as a token of appreciation.
The links below feature further documentation from Jungle Justice 2011. Thanks to Sarah Groh and Christine Jozitis for their insights, video and photos.
Art Aids Art promotes education and sustainable economic development through the arts. We support cross-cultural exchanges between Americans and South Africans.
