Red Cross sponsors art exhibit

Last week the Belize Red Cross joined its international counterparts in launching the slogan and plan of activities for the coming year. The theme, “The Power of Humanity” was chosen to highlight the universal nature of the work of the Red Cross and the need for people to reach out to each other wherever they live in the world. One of the first activities being sponsored by the Red Cross is an art exhibit. Arreini Palacio reports.

The Power of Humanity art exhibition at the House of Culture features of the works of Yasser Musa, Pen Cayetano, Benjamin Nicholas, Michael Gordon and Gilvano Swasey.

Gilvano Swasey, Artist

“Most of the pieces depict faces; it is mostly people. The other pieces depict instruments or themes that humans have played with since the beginning of time. For example the pieces Yasser Musa did, they are not really images of people except for the Banana Boy concept, but he has transformed skulls of dead animals into works of art. Cave men have used that and so forth. It is not typically caveman art but it is basically using scraps and turning it into art; it is recycling. He has stuff like, “Negroes for hire,” which is an important historical date for us in Belize.”

The exhibition is more than just the ordinary show and tell. According to Swasey there is also an interactive element.

Gilvano Swasey

“The pieces with the faces are young and old people and there are some interactive pieces that you can touch, see and smell. It is just basically the power of humanity. How I took it? I just tried to show the person and the mystery behind them, where there is an image on the front that attracts you, as you open, you could see certain medicinal plants. There is something called the voodoo child which is something cultural, religious. I dealt with the person on a whole, the individual.”

Arreini Palacio for News Five.

The Power of Humanity art exhibit was organized by the Image Factory and runs until June fourth.