Common Humanity_______________________________                

Building Friendship, Respect and Understanding With the Arab and Muslim World

 

 

For Immediate Release                                                                            For more information:

                                                                                                                                        Mel Lehman

                                                                                                                                        ML9612921@aol.com

                                                                                                                                        (212) 865-6115

                                                                                                                                        CommonHumanity.org

 

Iraqi Refugee Artists in Syria Featured in Exhibit Oct. 26 – Nov. 13 in New York City

                                

                                  An art exhibit “Artists in Exile:  Forgotten Iraqi Refugees in Syria” will open on October 26, 2010, at the Second Presbyterian Church, 96^th Street and Central Park West, New York City, and will continue for three weeks until November 13.  The show, organized by the New York City non-profit Common Humanity, features artists who have fled from the war in Iraq and are now living in Syria.

                                  The exhibit features 27 new paintings from many of the refugee artists whose works were in previous exhibits as well as works from 7 new refugee painters.

Dates, hours and location of the exhibit:     Dates:  Oct. 26 – Nov. 13, 2010
                                                                Hours:  Tues. – Thurs.  5 – 9 pm, Saturdays 10 – 8

                                                                 Place:  Second Presbyterian Church, 96^th Street at                                                                                                         Central Park West, NYC

Wadhah Mahdi, an Iraqi refugee artist in Damascus, is one of

the artists who will be featured in an exhibit of Iraqi refugee

artists in Syria in New York Oct. 26 – Nov. 13.                                             

© UNHCR/G.Brust                                                                                                     

                                 

                                  The paintings will be sold by silent auction, concluding with the highest bids received by 6 pm Nov. 13.  Each painting in the exhibit has been purchased directly from the Iraqi artist by Common Humanity.  The sale of those paintings will enable Common Humanity to return to Syria to purchase a new round of paintings and thus to continue contributing to the livelihood of these courageous refugee artists and their families.  

                          Mel Lehman, Director of Common Humanity who traveled to Damascus to obtain the paintings, said, “Visitors to this exhibit will get a rare chance to see something of the heart and soul of several of the 1 million Iraqi refugees in Syria who have been largely forgotten by us.   This exhibit presents a unique opportunity to see Middle East artists who were influenced by their own ancient artistic heritage, by their study of modern Western art in school and also by the recent U.S. invasion of their homeland.”

                                  Common Humanity seeks to build friendship, understanding and respect between the United States and the Arab and Muslim world.  Common Humanity believes that the road to peace in these dangerous times is by moving past the clichés and stereotypes that separate us and instead by making new efforts to gain a deeper understanding of our shared common humanity.   In addition to organizing these art exhibits, Common Humanity also organizes an annual medical delegation to Syria by bringing doctors of various specialties to give lectures to their Syrian counterparts.

                                  A box of 16 blank note cards featuring other paintings by artists in the exhibit will be on sale for $25. per box.  Purchase of the note cards helps support the work of Common Humanity and the refugee artists.                                                                        

                                  A brief 4-minute video about a previous exhibit is available on YouTube at     

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBv4NnmBLUc

                         

                                  Common Humanity is deeply grateful to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for its help in organizing this exhibit, to the Second Presbyterian Church for hosting it and to the volunteers who help organize and staff the exhibit. 
                                  Second Presbyterian Church at 96^th Street and Central Park West in Manhattan is a historic New York City congregation which was founded 20 years before the U.S. revolution.  The congregation is active in the arts, civil rights, peacemaking, and social justice issues as part of its ministry to its congregation and community.   Second Presbyterian owns and operates the Alexander Robertson School, the oldest co-educational elementary school in New York.  The church is located at the 96^th Street stop on the B and C subway lines and the M96 and M10 buses  stop at the front door of the church.