“Witness: Palestine” Exhibit Opens at Newport Visual Arts Center
Gallery reception scheduled for February 6, 5-7pm
The Oregon Coast Council for the Arts is pleased to present work by Newport artists Ginger Gouveia and Gilbert Schramm, as part of the new exhibit, “Witness: Palestine,” in the Upstairs Gallery, February 6-28, at the Newport Visual Arts Center (VAC). The exhibit will include photography by Ginger Gouveia and clay sculptures by Gilbert Schramm in an installation-like setting. “Witness: Palestine” is presented in association with Writers’ on the Edge, who will host author Mateo Hoke at the VAC on February 21.
“This collection of photos represents my witness to the daily struggles of Palestinians living under occupation in the West Bank,” says Ginger Gouveia. “Using this gallery as the venue, it is my hope that viewers will be moved to ask more questions and to continue to develop their own awareness.” Gouvei has traveled to Israel and Palestine in recent years, staying with families in both countries. She visited organizations where Israelis and Palestinians worked toward a lasting and comprehensive peace built on respect for human rights and democratic principles.
Gilbert Schramm has a varied background of working and teaching in the Middle East and he has gotten to know many Palestinian students and colleagues. He uses his poetry, clay and graphic art to express his views on the issues in an attempt to channel his grief and as a last-ditch effort to get a message across. He cites Goya’s prints and sketches, Picasso’s “Guernica,” street-protest art, Paul Klee and Henri Gaudier-Brzeska as inspirations for his sculptures and graphic work.
“I hope that our joint exhibit will convey some sense of what Palestinians go through as they live under occupation,” Schramm says. “For me, this is more about conveying a message rather than demonstrating any particular mastery of artistic style or technique. I think of it as art from the barricades—not from the academy.
“Witness: Palestine” coincides with the Writers’ on the Edge’s public reading by Mateo Hoke on February 21, 7pm, at the VAC. Hoke is the co-editor of Palestine Speaks: Narratives of Life Under Occupation, a collection of oral histories from Gaza and the West Bank (McSweeney’s Voice of Witness series, 2014). Hoke will also present a writing workshop on February 22 at 2pm (location to be announced).
The Upstairs Gallery is open noon to 4pm, Tuesday through Saturday. For more information, please call 541-265-6569 or email vac@coastarts.org.