Social Change through Art

 

http://www.prlog.org/12054491-have-heart-project-2nd-annual-food-drive-art-installation.html

Article and Tweet posted by @BonittoStudio http://twitter.com/BonittoStudio

This week I chose an article that gave an example of how you can transform something you love into something that aids the community. Two artists in Virginia are taking their passion for art and their art studio to the next level by incorporating social change into their projects. 

            Last year they started a project called “Have a Heart Project” in which they created an art “empty kitchen” as the article named it. They then challenged the community to fill the so-called “empty kitchen” with nonperishable and canned food items. The community responded and filled the art exhibit with over 750 lbs of food for the Food for Others, Inc. program. The food for others program is a non-profit organization that gives assistance to “unemployed and low-income neighbors by providing a safety net for those who suddenly face unforeseen emergencies such as illness or the loss of a job or spouse.” The Food for Others, Inc provides this assistance specifically to families in Northern Virginia.

 

            This year’s “Have a Heart” program art exhibit is going to be a little different. The artists are transforming approximately 1,200 brown paper lunch sacks into works of art for the community to purchase for a small donation of $10.00. All 100% of the proceeds will go to purchase nonperishable and canned food items for the Food for Others program. The exhibit will run from February 6^th to March 3^rd, 2013. At the end of each week they will take the proceeds and purchase the food items, which will then take the place of the lunch bags in the exhibit so the community can see where the money is actually going. 

            These artists have inspired other artist to also use art as a tool to aid the community. There will be several additional artists participating in the exhibit. I wish we saw more of the projects on a national, and possibly even a global level. I love art and they are designing these bags so that they can be framed as an actual piece of art for your home. I know that I would mind spending $10.00 on a piece of art that benefited my community.