The Westport Arts Center is proud to present “Hope in Haiti”, an exhibition dedicated to bringing awareness to the resilience of the Haitian people after the devastating Earthquake in January, 2010. The exhibition will begin with an opening reception on Friday, March 4 from 6-8 p.m. and will be view until May 8, 2011. “Hope in Haiti” is sponsored in part by New Alliance Bank, First Niagara, The Betty R. and Ralph Sheffer Foundation, and Compass Group Management, LLC.

Three months after the earthquake in Haiti, Westport Arts Center’s Director of Visual Arts, Helen Klisser During, visited Haiti with Carma Foundation founder, Hip-Hop and R&B Artist Melky Jean, sister of Wyclef Jean. The mission of Carma Foundation is to improve the health of poor women and children in Haiti by utilizing media and pop culture to create a platform of awareness, dialogue, and action. The Carma House orphanage in Leogane, about one hour outside of Port-au-Prince, was flattened during the earthquake, and all the homeless orphans were living in a tent city.

Knowing that she was going to visit the Carma House that embraces music as a central activity, she wanted to bring another creative outlet to the orphans, photography. Klisser During reported that she was inspired by the 2004 documentary, “Born into Brothels,” where children living in the red light district of Calcutta were given a camera and taught to look at the world with new eyes.

Hours before her flight to Haiti, Klisser During stopped by a Walmart and purchased 50 disposable Fuji cameras.  Upon her arrival, and through a Creole translator, she taught an impromptu photo-lesson amongst the rubble. “I told the children how sorry I was about what had happened to them and that I thought maybe today we have some fun with these cameras.” None of them had ever used a camera before so they learned how to look through the lens and frame their subject. “I said, for example, look at this rock. It may look pretty boring but maybe if we look at it from the ground up, it becomes much more interesting. We were learning to look at the world a little bit differently, hopefully capturing precious moments on that journey.”

The children were given the cameras for 48 hours and told to take pictures of where they lived, their friends, animals, or anything else that caught their interest and imagination. The resulting images will be on display in the WAC gallery – one or two from each child’s camera. The children have given us a great gift, said Klisser During, “Their images are very honest and unfiltered, and allow us a first-hand view into the lives of these children that have overcome extreme adversity with hope.”

WAC has partnered with another humanitarian aid organization, AmeriCares, to bring more awareness to Haiti. AmeriCares has been in residence in Haiti since 1984 providing medical care and supplies in 35 hospitals. After the earthquake, they are now working with 60 partners in Haiti with a $50M commitment, dedicated to the fight against cholera. One of their staff photographers, Matthew McDermott, will contribute a famous photograph called an “Icon of Hope,” by the Daily News, UK, and there will be a site-specific installation representing a typical cargo shipment that AmeriCares sends to Haiti.  
The exhibition will include a selection of photographs by Klisser During from her trip and from and from London-based photographer and philanthropist, Elizabeth Jordan, who has created colorful light-boxes from photos of Haitian Tap-Tap buses. These buses are a prominent fixture in urban Haiti that display kitsch and groovy styled-messages such a “Trust in the Lord and Do Good” and brighten up the streets of Port-au-Prince, encouraging hope, peace and a brighter future.
In addition to Kid Kulture, the Arts Center will feature an exhibition of photographs by students in the Staples High School photography club in the WAC Studio Gallery entitled “Dog Show,” also curated by Klisser During. Last month, the students proposed an exhibition of images that they took in the Bridgeport Animal Control to raise awareness about the importance of adoption and the many current issues revolving around shelter conditions. Klisser During said “through art, creativity, and talent you can raise awareness of an issue, and that is what we hope to do with both the ‘Hope in Haiti’ and the ‘Dog Show’ exhibitions.”

Integrated gallery programs during the exhibition include a special talk with Haitian activist, entrepreneur, and earthquake survivor Phelicia Dell presented by the Vital Voices Connecticut Council on Sunday, March 13, 4pm; a world music themed WACky Family Day on Sunday, March 20, 2pm; and a talk on “Restoring Hope in Haiti” with AmeriCares CEO Curt Welling on Thursday, April 7, 6pm. The Westport Arts Center will also partner with the new Westport Cinema Initiative to present a screening of the Academy-Award nominated documentary, “Wasteland,” on Saturday, March 26, 1pm, at the Westport Country Playhouse; and with Ina Chadwick’s MouseMuse productions to present its third storytellinThe Westport Arts Center is proud to present “Hope in Haiti”, an exhibition dedicated to bringing awareness to the resilience of the Haitian people after the devastating Earthquake in January, 2010. The exhibition will begin with an opening reception on Friday, March 4 from 6-8 p.m. and will be view until May 8, 2011. “Hope in Haiti” is sponsored in part by New Alliance Bank, First Niagara, The Betty R. and Ralph Sheffer Foundation, and Compass Group Management, LLC.

Three months after the earthquake in Haiti, Westport Arts Center’s Director of Visual Arts, Helen Klisser During, visited Haiti with Carma Foundation founder, Hip-Hop and R&B Artist Melky Jean, sister of Wyclef Jean. The mission of Carma Foundation is to improve the health of poor women and children in Haiti by utilizing media and pop culture to create a platform of awareness, dialogue, and action. The Carma House orphanage in Leogane, about one hour outside of Port-au-Prince, was flattened during the earthquake, and all the homeless orphans were living in a tent city.

Knowing that she was going to visit the Carma House that embraces music as a central activity, she wanted to bring another creative outlet to the orphans, photography. Klisser During reported that she was inspired by the 2004 documentary, “Born into Brothels,” where children living in the red light district of Calcutta were given a camera and taught to look at the world with new eyes.

Hours before her flight to Haiti, Klisser During stopped by a Walmart and purchased 50 disposable Fuji cameras.  Upon her arrival, and through a Creole translator, she taught an impromptu photo-lesson amongst the rubble. “I told the children how sorry I was about what had happened to them and that I thought maybe today we have some fun with these cameras.” None of them had ever used a camera before so they learned how to look through the lens and frame their subject. “I said, for example, look at this rock. It may look pretty boring but maybe if we look at it from the ground up, it becomes much more interesting. We were learning to look at the world a little bit differently, hopefully capturing precious moments on that journey.”

The children were given the cameras for 48 hours and told to take pictures of where they lived, their friends, animals, or anything else that caught their interest and imagination. The resulting images will be on display in the WAC gallery – one or two from each child’s camera. The children have given us a great gift, said Klisser During, “Their images are very honest and unfiltered, and allow us a first-hand view into the lives of these children that have overcome extreme adversity with hope.”

WAC has partnered with another humanitarian aid organization, AmeriCares, to bring more awareness to Haiti. AmeriCares has been in residence in Haiti since 1984 providing medical care and supplies in 35 hospitals. After the earthquake, they are now working with 60 partners in Haiti with a $50M commitment, dedicated to the fight against cholera. One of their staff photographers, Matthew McDermott, will contribute a famous photograph called an “Icon of Hope,” by the Daily News, UK, and there will be a site-specific installation representing a typical cargo shipment that AmeriCares sends to Haiti.  
The exhibition will include a selection of photographs by Klisser During from her trip and from and from London-based photographer and philanthropist, Elizabeth Jordan, who has created colorful light-boxes from photos of Haitian Tap-Tap buses. These buses are a prominent fixture in urban Haiti that display kitsch and groovy styled-messages such a “Trust in the Lord and Do Good” and brighten up the streets of Port-au-Prince, encouraging hope, peace and a brighter future.
In addition to Kid Kulture, the Arts Center will feature an exhibition of photographs by students in the Staples High School photography club in the WAC Studio Gallery entitled “Dog Show,” also curated by Klisser During. Last month, the students proposed an exhibition of images that they took in the Bridgeport Animal Control to raise awareness about the importance of adoption and the many current issues revolving around shelter conditions. Klisser During said “through art, creativity, and talent you can raise awareness of an issue, and that is what we hope to do with both the ‘Hope in Haiti’ and the ‘Dog Show’ exhibitions.”

Integrated gallery programs during the exhibition include a special talk with Haitian activist, entrepreneur, and earthquake survivor Phelicia Dell presented by the Vital Voices Connecticut Council on Sunday, March 13, 4pm; a world music themed WACky Family Day on Sunday, March 20, 2pm; and a talk on “Restoring Hope in Haiti” with AmeriCares CEO Curt Welling on Thursday, April 7, 6pm. The Westport Arts Center will also partner with the new Westport Cinema Initiative to present a screening of the Academy-Award nominated documentary, “Wasteland,” on Saturday, March 26, 1pm, at the Westport Country Playhouse; and with Ina Chadwick’s MouseMuse productions to present its third storytelling program “Awake After Dark,” in which amateur storytellers will recite 10-minute accounts inspired by the theme, “Gimme Shelter” on Tuesday, March 22, 7 p.m.

Hope in Haiti will be on display at the Westport Arts Center Gallery from March 4 to May 8, 2011. Regular Gallery hours are: M-F 10am - 4pm; Sat 10am - 5pm; Sun 12 - 4pm.

The Westport Arts Center is a visual and performing arts organization dedicated to creating arts experiences that enrich the lives of area residents and the entire community. For information contact Westport Arts Center at 203-222-7070 or go to the website at ww.westportartscenter.org. Gallery hours are M-F, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sat., 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sun. from noon to 4 p.m., at 51 Riverside Avenue, Westport.g program “Awake After Dark,” in which amateur storytellers will recite 10-minute accounts inspired by the theme, “Gimme Shelter” on Tuesday, March 22, 7 p.m.

Hope in Haiti will be on display at the Westport Arts Center Gallery from March 4 to May 8, 2011. Regular Gallery hours are: M-F 10am - 4pm; Sat 10am - 5pm; Sun 12 - 4pm.

The Westport Arts Center is a visual and performing arts organization dedicated to creating arts experiences that enrich the lives of area residents and the entire community. For information contact Westport Arts Center at 203-222-7070 or go to the website at ww.westportartscenter.org. Gallery hours are M-F, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sat., 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sun. from noon to 4 p.m., at 51 Riverside Avenue, Westport.