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Blessed are the Peacemakers
by Rosário Teixeira
Minneapolis, MN – The PEACE of ART travelling exhibit is on display at The Basilica of Saint Mary Gallery, located at Hennepin at North Sixteenth, Minneapolis MN, under the title Blessed Are the Peacemakers. Auqust 2 - September 21, 2008. On Sunday, September 7th at one o’clock a reception open to the public will feature guest speaker, Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer. The Peace of Art exhibit is part of a series of exhibitions sponsored by multi faith communities in the Twin Cities, which address the basic needs of communities, and are gathered around the broad themes of sustenance, empowerment, citizenship, peace, and environment.
Peace of Art was created and founded by the artist Daniel Varoujan Hejinian to bring awareness to the human condition through the universal language of art. The Peace of art exhibit includes a series of drawings and paintings which address the human condition, such as homelessness (Alone in the City), hunger (Peace of Bread), and deportation (See no Evil, Hear no Evil); and celebrate the resilience of the human spirit such as family as the heart of the community (Family), the preciousness of life (Peace of Life), and hope (Paper Dove). Peace of Music, the image on the invitation to the exhibit, represents the human connection through art.
Kathy Dhaemers, Associate Director of Sacred Arts, The Basilica of Saint Mary, in her invitation letter to exhibit the Peace of Art collection, stated that “Our hope is that this project will encourage brave and honest conversations about these important topics. We believe that the lens that these artists offer us will help us to talk in new ways about issues of justice in our communities and in our world.”
Varoujan believes that when we open dialogue to the important issues we face in our society, we begin to find solutions to the problems, and we begin the process of transformation. Devoid of religious or political associations, Peace of Art has brought together people from all walks of life and from opposite points of view to agree on the themes presented in the art work. The Peace of Art collection has been viewed by thousands of people since it was launched in 2003 in Watertown, Massachusetts, and it has been exhibited in places such as the Massachusetts State House in Boston; Harvard University J.F. Kennedy School of Government in Cambridge; the Gran Concourse at South Station in Boston; and several public libraries, city halls and art galleries in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Testimonials from visitors can be found at www.PeaceofArt.Org, as well as more information about Peace of Art, Inc.
Ms. Dhaemers further stated that “beauty has the potential not only to enlighten us but also to transform our world.” The artist Varoujan agrees. Through his romantic expressionist paintings he has created a beautiful dream world, full of beauty and joy; on the other hand, Peace of Art represents the reality of our world. In this collection, some of the pieces reflect the absence of peace in our lives, while others reveal our reality; each image is a reflection of our humanity.
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