What: Silent Art Auction for Charity to benefit underprivileged children of the untouchables caste of India. Followed by a Bollywood dance performance by the Middle Eastern Dance Team.
When: November 5th, 6th, and 7th. Friday, Nov. 7th: reception at 4pm, bidding ends promptly at 4:30pm. Dance performance at 5pm.
Where: Harder Hall Lobby on the Alfred U campus, and Holmes Auditorium (for the performance).
WHAT TO DO: Find at least one piece of artwork that you could donate for this charity initiative, bring it to the Art Office until the end of October.
During the first week of November, Art Union will be showcasing work donated from students, faculty, and local artists for the benefit of severely impoverished children in the village of Orchha, India. These children are part of the dalits caste, which literally means the "untouchables." People born into this caste within the still very prevalent Indian social caste system are condemned by society as being "dirty." They can only do "dirty" jobs such as cleaning dead animals off the street, cleaning toilets, or begging.
One day, a Finnish woman named Eeva Schult, who was travelling in the village of Orchha, passed by a smally colony of impoverished families, part of the outcasts of society forced to live outside the main area of the village, and was struck by the image of young children, unclothed, dirty and covered in mud, putting cow feces into their hungry mouths.
Eeva decided to do something for these people in need, only a few of the millions of people living and struggling to survive through hard times in India. She set up a school in Orchha, free of charge, for the dalits caste children. Through the generosity of donors and sponsors, she is able to fully fund education for these children. Not only that, but she also provides them with food and clothing, something which their families cannot provide for them.
Here is a video/picture slideshow (approx. 4 mins) which will show you a short glimpse of the streets of India, in which you will notice the "untouchables" crouching on the side of the road, their shacks, and the general feed of a country in perilous times. I have included some still photographs of the school and children in their classes, as well as of the plot of land where Eeva is planning to construct a larger school. Then a minute or so of the children in class, learning the ABCs and doing math.
Art Union is asking for your generous donation of art work and participation for this charity initiative. We understand that people are often hesitant to do things overseas because one doesn't always know where one's money is really headed. But this is exactly the reason why this charity was chosen for this fall's auction: because this is a very concrete, tangible way to see how your artwork and effort has legitimately and significantly helped someone in desperate need.
All proceeds of the auction and the admission fee of the dance performance will go to the Maya Free School. We will take the sum of money and divide it by $140, which is how much it costs to sponsor one child for an entire year, providing that child with food, clothing, books and supplies, and education, thus giving them a real opportunity to break away from the adverse lifestyle they are currently struggling through. Think about it: that is less than $12/month, we spent more than that in a month on coffee alone!
Once the school receives the money, we will in return receive the names and pictures of the children who we have sponsored in the name of our school. The children who receive sponsorship know about their sponsors who often will receive pictures or letters that their children draw and write for them.
So please, throughout the month of October, bring your donations to the Art Office (2nd floor of Harder Hall near the Moka Joka), M-F 8:30am-4:30pm.
The work will be set up in the Harder Hall lobby for three days. We will have a closing reception on Friday, November 7th at 4pm. There will be food! The silent bidding will end promptly at 4:30pm. Directly after in Holmes Auditorium, the Middle Eastern Dance Team will have a Bollywood performance in honor for the charity. The admission fee (yet to be determined) will also go to the Maya Free School.
October 29th, in Nevins Theater at 4:30pm, Gia Michael will be showing this video footage and talking about her experience at the Orchha school this summer. It will also be an open time for questions and discussion.
link to the Maya Free School
