Make Change program extends to art and business
Take in the Arts - a weekly feature of Gabriola Artists
By Chloë Straw
Monday, November 17 2008
Multi-media artist Maarten Perera is no stranger to the struggle for human dignity. Having worked with marginalized individuals for most of his adult life, Maarten aims to show, “marginalized voices that have taken a positive path,” in his work. His commitment to giving a voice to the underprivileged has earned him the recognition of Amnesty International, as he was selected as one of thirty Canadian artists to take part in the 60th anniversary celebration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Honoured and excited to take part in the show, Maarten stresses the importance of bringing his commitment to greater humanitarian causes back home. When he and his partner, Mark Whalen, opened the Slice of Life Gallery last March, they knew that contributing to a variety of causes would be a pillar of their business model.
“It’s simply business ethics,” says Maarten, adding that the name for the gallery came from a desire to share a glimpse of the couple’s life, which combines art, business and active compassion. A generous portion of the sales of various items at the gallery are donated to a collection of causes that have impacted Maarten and Mark’s lives, one of which is our own People for a Healthy Community. Even in their first year of operation, the two recognize the responsibility of local businesses to support the community on whatever level they can.
The juried Amnesty International show will be at the VanCity Theatre in Vancouver until the 16th of November and will then be distributed amongst various businesses in downtown Vancouver for public viewing. Following this, a gala will be held at the Canvas Lounge where bidders can go after their favourite pieces as they are auctioned off in support of Amnesty International. For information about tickets go to http://www.amnesty.ca/smallplaces/.
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