This local art exhibit crosses borders, literally
As part of a lengthy project begun by a Columbus artist, a short art exhibit will be presented on Jan. 11 at Xavier University. “Columbus Crossing Borders” consists of 34 artists, mainly from central Ohio, visually depicting stories about refugees at the A. B. Cohen Center.
The project also includes a documentary titled “Breathe Free” by filmmaker Doug Swift.
“Last year, news sto- ries about the U.S. building walls and travel bans weighed heavily on Columbus-area artist Laurie VanBalen. She wanted to understand the people behind the stories, and understand why theyweref orced to flee their homes,” said Kelly Anchrum, Catholic Charities Southwestern Ohio director of marketing/communications. “She reached out to a local refugee resettlement agency, and learned about forced migration. She (contacted) other artists to see if they’d be willing to share the stories of refugees through their art.”
Paula Colman of Granville, Ohio, is one of those artists. She painted a touching scene titled “One in a Million.” The vibrant 20-by-20-inch work depicts a small girl looking through a high fence to the landscape beyond.
“Getting in touch with that small person, her space where she’s forced to stay … it got me to connect with this as a real thing,” said Colman. “It’s different from just watching images of destruction.”
The artists involved include one from the state of Washington and two from Nashville. What’s unusual about this particular exhibit is the way it was planned and presented. The artists worked with each other to continue a color, theme or certain element of the work that is hung before and after their painting.
“So what you have is 34 paintings going all the way around. As they move from painting to painting, you have elements reaching into t henext,crossi ng the border, crossing the border, crossing the border … until you have a community of cooperation,” said VanBalen in the documentary.
In addition to VanBalen and Colman, these artists are part of the project: Kathy Anderson, Virginia Carvour, DebraJ oyce Dawson, David Denniston, Daidria Eckels, Andrea Fox, Angela Gage, Lanie Gannon, Mark Gingerich, Dav id Ge n tilini, Michael Guinane, Paul Hamilton, Hani Hara, Dasa Harris, Cody Heichel, and Stephanie Hemmer.
Also presenting works are: Marty Husted, Rob W. Jones, Dalia Koppes, Donna Lee, James Makuac, Bar- bara Osumi, Andy Quisumb- ing, Amber Raffeld, Linda locations in Columbus for Regula, Gaye Reissland, short viewing periods. It Stephanie Rond, Chris- was shown at the Univertine Guillot Ryan, Allen sity School of Nashville in Schwartz, April Sunami, November. Nathaniel Underwood, and The CCB project is hosted Dale Ziemianski. by Catholic Charities South
The “Breathe Free” docwestern Ohio, CET-Think TV, umentary gives a voice to Xavier University Art Gallery, those who have fled war and and the Ursulines of Cincinunimaginable conditions. nati, in partnership with It will be presented at 5:30 several institutions of faith. p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 10, The exhibit will be preat WCET Studios ,1223Censented for a longer period of tral Parkway, Cincinnati. The time at Zanesville Museum reception and screening also from Feb. 3 to April 7. From includes a panel discussion there it moves to Dublin, after the film. Ohio.
The Columbus Crossing The2018s chedule is fillBorders exh ibitisactuallya ing quickly with additional traveling exhibit that began venues. as a one-day presentation at the Cultural Arts Center in
Columbus on May 21, 2016.
It then moved to various