A Circle Assembly Exhibit - Art for AIDS International returns from Moosonee [SLIDESHOW]

The following post was written by Alex Kruger, Art for AIDS International student intern.

Students at an Art for AIDS Assembly at the Northern Lights Secondary School

Hendrikus Bervoets, Executive Director of Art for AIDS International, recently returned from a trip to Moosonee, Ontario, sponsored by the Ontario Teachers’ Federation, where he hosted an art and HIV awareness workshop and assembly with the staff and students at Northern Lights Secondary School.

“I've traveled to many different parts of the world with Art for AIDS,” Hendrikus notes, “but none of them were like this experience.”

Beginning with a 4:00 AM wake up time in London Ontario and a solid 8 hours of travel, Hendrikus arrived in chilly but beautiful Moosonee Ontario, a small community located at the base of the James Bay, where he made his way to the Northern Lights Secondary School to plan for the following day's assembly and workshop.

“From the beginning of when I walked into the school, they had this large lobby, and I just had a feeling that was where [the exhibit] had to be,” Hendrikus recounts of his initial thoughts of the school. “It had light coming down from the ceiling and I kept thinking that the exhibit needed to be in a circle.” While this was the first time Hendrikus had ever conducted an exhibit in circle form, the symbol,with neither a beginning nor an end, was perfect for capturing its participants’ energy.Read more


Why Art Matters when it comes to HIV Education [VIDEO]


AIDS Vancouver logoThis post is the first in the "Creating Change Series" by Tasha A Riley, PhD-Prevention Education Coordinator, AIDS Vancouver. This series will discuss links between art and HIV education by highlighting the contributions of various artists to the field of HIV/AIDS education and activism.


Sue Williamson - Adeline, 2000
"Adeline", By Sue Williamson, 2000 | Part of the Artists International Direct Support portfolio, produced by Art for AIDS International

In 2001 I had the unique opportunity to work as a volunteer in Botswana, Africa where I educated local teachers about HIV/AIDS issues so that they could bring back the information into their own communities in their own languages. One of the things I really appreciated about the work I did was the creativity my teachers passed on into their teachings. HIV/AIDS is a difficult issue to discuss because it touches upon some of the most taboo of topics.

People don’t always feel comfortable discussing sex or condom use. In some places, such as Botswana, speaking openly about sex and condoms to one’s Elders can be viewed as a sign of disrespect unless the educator is able to do so in a skilled and creative manner. The teachers I had the privilege of working with were particularly skilled in this area. They recognized that not everyone would be as open to speaking about HIV openly and so they worked together to figure out how to pass on information about how the virus was spread in a way that would not only educate but entertain. There was no end to the creativity these teachers brought to the table. One group of teachers created a series of small skits they would perform weekly in the streets where the central character was a women living with the HIV virus. Another group of teachers put together a beauty contest to raise funds for HIV education.You can imagine the audience’s surprise when each one of the contestants twirled gracefully around on stage only to reveal a sign displaying a different sexually transmitted infection. At the end of the procession, each contestant took centre stage and took some time to inform the audience about that particular STI, what it was and how it could be prevented and treated. The idea was brilliant simply because it not only grabbed everyone’s attention, but it did so in a way that encouraged people to laugh and speak openly about something people were normally too embarrassed to discuss.

Read more


Western Reflects [VIDEO]

The following article (and video) was written (and produced) by Kate Hoad-Reddick, Off Campus Don at the University of Western Ontario and Art for AIDS International student intern!

Empowering. Inspiring. Fun. Eye-Opening.

These are just some of the words first year students used to describe their experiences following their Art for AIDS International workshop. On February 5, 2011, Art for AIDS International hosted first-year students from The University of Western Ontario at their head-office and Gallery. Students participated in a day-long art and awareness-raising workshop that allowed them to explore their experience with social justice issues and reflect on how HIV and AIDS are affecting people in their own community and abroad.Read more


Art for AIDS International Travels to Moosonee Ontario!


Driving on an ice road from Moosonee to Moose Factory is just one of the many exciting events in store for Hendrikus Bervoets, the Founder and Executive Director of Art for AIDS International.  Thanks to a wonderful sponsorship from the Ontario Teachers Federation, Hendrikus will be travelling to Moosonee, Ontario from February 9th to 11th to host art and HIV/AIDS awareness workshops with the staff and students at Northern Lights Secondary School. With six different countries and close to 250 schools under his belt, he is pleased to be working with the Moosonee community for the first time.

“For a long time now I have wanted to work with First Nations communities in Canada, and for us to now finally be able to do this puts a smile on my face,” says Hendrikus. “Further, I hope to go back later this year and celebrate our new relationship with the Moosonee Community with the opening of an exhibit featuring all of the artwork that has been produced by the participants.”

While in Moosonee, Hendrikus will be hosting a introductory event, and a series of art and HIV/AIDS awareness workshops for students and faculty from the Northern Lights Secondary School.

Hendrikus and all of the volunteers from Art for AIDS International would like to thank the Ontario Teachers’ Federation who kindly sponsored the event. We are all grateful for the opportunity to expand our workshop program in Canada and work with a group of students who would be out of our reach geographically if not for OTF's generous sponsorship.


Stay tuned for more details, as well as photos from the workshops in the coming weeks. All of our photos will be available on Art for AIDS International's Facebook page.


January Volunteer Update

This post was written by Kate, a student intern at Art for AIDS International.

 

Maintaining a non-profit organization and helping it grow is not an easy task. On Thursday January 20th, Art for AIDS International held its monthly volunteer meeting and brainstorming session. It was a round-table discussion with twenty of Art for AIDS’s enthusiastic volunteers. Led by Hendrikus Bervoets, the meeting was focused on encouraging volunteers to bring passion to individual projects in support for the organization. Upon reflection, Hendrikus reiterated that the volunteers are the backbone of Art for AIDS International. Not only do they dedicate time, energy and funds to the organization, they also bring vibrant ideas and innovation. This vigor keeps Art for AIDS International growing and visible in the community.  Thank you to all of the volunteers that attended on Thursday. Your commitment to the organization and social change is inspiring. Use your individuality, creativity and passion to spread the mission and work of Art for AIDS International. Let’s continue to work together to achieve our goals!

Read more


Eight Years of Partnership: The York School and Art for AIDS International

Last night the students and faculty at Toronto's The York School raised an incredible $1690.00 for Art for AIDS International at their annual concert.  All of the funds raised came from the sale of artwork produced by York School students at this year's Art for AIDS International workshop series, which was hosted for the eighth consecutive year.  Last nights success, however, got us thinking a little bit more about the incredible role that the York School has played as a supporter of Art for AIDS International, and about the direct results that have come out of the passion and leadership of their students.  As such, we decided to crunch the numbers and find out how much the York School has been able to raise in their eight year partnership with Art for AIDS International...the results even surprised us: Read more


Where Change Begins: October and November Updates

Over the past two months, Art for AIDS International has spread its message by hosting workshops and events across three continents. During that time, we have had the opportunity to work with hundreds of new students, connect with new partners in both the public and private sectors, and pursue new funding opportunities that will enable us to continue this essential work.  Further, and as a direct result of these initiatives, we have continued to donate funds to organizations working with women and children affected by HIV/AIDS in communities across sub-Saharan Africa.  This was most recently exemplified by a $20,000 contribution to Nkosi’s Haven in Johannesburg South Africa; one of Art for AIDS International’s long time partners.  Further, as a part of the Art for AIDS International scholarship program we have just awarded a post-secondary scholarship to a young woman from Uganda who embodies the passion and creativity needed to end the HIV/AIDS pandemic.Read more


Reflecting on the Art for AIDS Workshop Process

Almost a decade ago, when Art for AIDS International's primary concern was encouraging professional artists to respond to the growing HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa, an opportunity came forward to host a workshop with students from the London District Catholic School Board.  While this was not our primary focus, we leaped at the opportunity to engage young people through art and teach them a bit more about issues related to HIV/AIDS and social justice generally.  Little did we know, however, that not only would the students respond with incredible passion and enthusiasm during these first few workshops, but, that they would also produce incredible and engaging works of art during them as well.  It was for this reason that we immediately shifted the focus of our project away from our International Portfolio toward helping young people get creative in understanding and addressing HIV/AIDS in their own community and abroad.  Since these first workshops, we have been privileged to host nearly 200 workshops with over 10,000 students from across Canada, South Africa, Mozambique, the Netherlands, Uganda, and the United States.

With upcoming workshops scheduled in Durban, Vancouver, Toronto, and London, as well as upcoming exhibitions and fundraisers in Spain, South Africa, and multiple Canadian shows, we felt it necessary not only to share our impression of the workshops with you, but also the impressions of those that ultimately matter most: the participating students.

Below you will find four statements written by past participants, all of whom have moved on and become active members of their community. Please enjoy and, whether or not you have been to a show, or attended a workshop, we  encourage your comments below!Read more


The Art for AIDS Gallery- A Transformation of Space

The current Art for AIDS International gallery space
The current Art for AIDS International gallery space

By Daisy Oliver
(Art for AIDS volunteer coordinator)

It’ s hard to believe, that only one year ago, the gallery and venue of Art for Aids International, was nothing but a frumpy storage space. Now, as witnessed on its successful October 1, 2009 First Anniversary Opening, the space beautifully boasts the original and diverse artwork of the ever evolving Art for AIDS organization.

There is extraordinary power in a creative act that can transform something ugly into a thing of beauty. Art for AIDS International has been built upon this philosophical cornerstone.

One of its defining qualities is its ability to transform the political and moral ugliness of the AIDS pandemic into artistic statements of beauty and hope as represented in its Kids for Kids collage prints. It is, therefore, somehow fitting that the same philosophy was used in finding a physical space for our organization.

Art for AIDS International opened its new gallery in the lower level at 242 Dundas Street at the end of September 2008. The opening on Sept 26th was the culmination of a long tedious process of reclaiming a derelict and very ugly space and changing it into an oasis of serenity and beauty.

The new gallery represents a stunning achievement of creative transformation on the part of Hendrikus Bervoets, CEO of the organization and his son Jean Paul Bervoets.

Hendrikus and Jp had been searching for some time for a potential space into which Art for AIDS could move.  Its ever expanding inventory of Kids for Kids prints had outgrown the basement office in the Bervoets’ home. Art for AIDS needed a larger space but the cost was a critical factor since the organization is non-profit. This meant looking at places others would consider unrentable. Consequently, it also meant copious amounts of searching.

In the late winter and early spring of 2008, the Bervoets’ found a place in the basement of a building on Dundas Street, in London, Ontario, that held promise.  The site had not been used for anything other than storage in decades.  It was dank, dark, and stank from mold and damp. There were no lights and no plumbing. But Hendrikus, with his refined artist’s eye, saw the latent potential of the place beyond the refuse and the rubble. It just needed some work to fix it up.

There then began a 6 month joint renovation project between the landlord, his contractors, and Hendrikus himself and whatever volunteers he could muster up to help.  Ceiling tiles were taken down and hundreds of clumps of glue individually chipped off, marble floors scrapped clean of old paint, new wiring and plumbing installed, everything painted from top to bottom, new shelving and fixtures installed, new doors added. Hendrikus did much of the grunt work himself always fuelled by an inner vision of what could be.  Turning something ugly into something beautiful often involves just a lot of plain old-fashioned hard, dirty work and a dream.

When you come into the Gallery now, you will see white walls highlighting the Art for AIDS prints that are softly lit with track lighting. You will see our beautiful marble floors polished to a soft gleam. At the end of the Gallery, set against a bright red wall, is a handmade receptionist’s desk over which hangs a stained glass representation of the Art for AIDS International logo.

Since its opening, the Gallery has been used for board meetings, for student events, for art workshops, for corporate luncheons and even concerts. It has become a downtown oasis for creative activity and a fun place to come visit.

The Gallery is open from Tuesday to Friday, 11am to 6 pm and on Saturdays, noon to 4 pm. We welcome visitors to come and see our wonderful space and browse our art collection. Don’t take my word on it; experience the radical transformation for yourself!


Grabbed by Art for AIDS International: A Volunteer’s Perspective

By Daisy Oliver
(Art for Aids Volunteer Coordinator)

Sometimes an idea grabs hold of one’s imagination and won’t let go.

I was first grabbed by Art for AIDS International on Dec 1st, 2006. World AIDS Day is an odd date for an anniversary but it marks the occasion when I descended the stairs into a church basement and stumbled upon an Art for AIDS display. A charming young man gave me the spiel. He introduced himself as JP Bervoets, son of founder and current art director, Hendrikus Bervoets. He was very persuasive. I would later recognize this as a family trait. I was immediately hooked on  the Bervoets' vision.

Now a year after that first encounter, my home is adorned with a collection of Kids for Kids prints which continues to grow. They have also become my primary source of gift giving. In addition, I am a volunteer with the organization doing what I can when needed.

I am now the Volunteer Coordinator and also Art for AIDS No. 1 fan.

It goes back to having my imagination captured. Art for AIDS swept me off my feet with its concept that combines the themes of individual artistic expression and global social justice. In a world that frequently feels like it is going to hell in a hand basket, I recognized immediately that Art for AIDS exuded a type of transformative energy that is desperately needed to heal this planet. It’s  appeal lies in its ingenious ability to foster hope on both the individual and the global levels for the common good. It is one powerful ideal.

The actual organization is rather complex because it works at multiple levels in the pursuit of its dual goals of raising public awareness of the global pandemic of HIV/ AIDS through the artistic expression of youth in both Africa and North America as well as raising funds through the sale of their artwork for HIV/AIDS relief work.

In its simplest form, however, it can be seen as a forceful instrument of transformative pedagogy. Hendrikus Bervoets, the founder of Art for AIDS and an artist by profession, is invited into a school where he talks to the students about the tragedy of the AIDS pandemic set in context of global social justice issues. They are then invited to translate that learning into an artistic statement that uses collage techniques and magazine images. Some of these collage works are then chosen to be produced into original machine-made limited edition prints which the student artist signs and then donates back to Art for AIDS. These prints are then sold publicly to raise money for carefully selected African projects that focus on assisting women and children affected by the AIDS pandemic.

There can be no finer example of learning that combines the heart, the head and the hands.

Over the last 3 years, I have watched many different pieces of art work come in and go out of the Art for AIDS inventory. I am amazed at the uniqueness and strength of the artistic vision that each piece represents in its response to global suffering. The moral caring that goes into each print is its own statement of optimism for the future and a reminder that change is possible.

With that kind of generative energy involved with Art for AIDS International, it is impossible to have too many prints. I continue to purchase new ones. It is my personal collection of hope.