The Daily World - Art for life
Great exposure to assist the families of our police officers killed on duty
Joaquin Restrepo (pictured) is the youngest artist in the sample, however it is one of the most admired and best sellers.
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On the occasion of the Summit of the Americas to be closed, the Green Heart Foundation in its drive to encourage families of the heroes of the fatherland, has graced various stages of Medellin with works of major artists in the country.
These days, it is no wonder that passers Medellin are, in many public places, works of art with high invoice and original design. These creations are part of the samples "Cheer" and "Equusarte" which brings to town the Green Heart Foundation.
While "Cheer" includes a number of butterflies of all styles and trends, designed and donated by the great masters of Colombian Art, "Equusarte" is equivalent, but with horses. "Arborizarte" which was the opening drive of the foundation, with works that represent trees, is not present, this time in our city.
These productions, which are well known in the capital of the Republic, as they have been exhibited in major metropolitan areas that are the ones that have appeared in auctions organized this foundation, to collect resources towards improving the quality of life for children and widows of our police victims of armed conflict plaguing us.
The leaders of the foundation brings these samples to Medellin, a post he had not explored before, as they are assured of the solidarity of Antioquia, especially those who daily risk their lives and sacrifice to defend us all.
The Green Heart Foundation was created in 1998 by a group of entrepreneurs with the aim of supporting Colombian civil society and contribute to meeting the priority needs of widows and orphans of members of the National Police killed on duty . Since then, its director, Monica Alzate, has appealed to the solidarity of private companies and artists of Colombia.
Alzate, as the voice of the foundation, over the years, never tires of emphasizing that: "While in other countries, police may exercise their profession in the midst of respect and solidarity of the community in Colombia die while on duty more than 500 police per year, victims of violence that plagues our country. With each passing year, an increasing number of orphans and widows of policemen who die doing their duty. The dimension of the tragedy accumulated in recent years is enormous. "
The Foundation has selected strategic locations in the city for the disposal of the exhibits. "Cheer" will, throughout the month of June, with butterflies in large format, Explore Park, and the small format, parks - library, and "Equusarte" (which opened on Tuesday, Village Hotel Plaza) was installed yesterday in the Oviedo Mall, which is until 22, the date on which it will move to La Strada, where he remained for a week.
"We're giving people the opportunity to acquire, for very low prices, highly recognized works of artists and, in turn, support a cause as significant as ours," says Matthew Bonilla, one of the organizers of the sample Medellin, who also emphasizes that "the Foundation Art always associated with life, so, what is provided is a rebirth, an opportunity and hope for the families of those killed so tragically. So the most important thing is life, life that remains to them and the opportunities we provide for a better future. "
The results obtained by the Foundation, thanks to the resources collected through the sale of these works, excel shows like "edify" through which they have delivered more than 115 housing solutions to widows and orphans of the National Police, and "Educate "that seeks to educate the children of officers killed on active duty, through scholarships. Between 2001 and 2007, this program achieved 2,231 grant educational aid, and so far in 2008, 800 scholarships were awarded to children around the country.
We spoke with Joaquin Restrepo, who, despite having only 22 years old, and is, together with great masters such as Manzur, Lightning and Villegas in the exclusive list of participants of the samples and auctions of the Foundation, with such success that he has donated works for auction have come from much higher values than those achieved by some of those who contributed to the country's leading artists.
Restrepo is convinced that artists who have always stood out for its high sensitivity, should commit to contribute to social projects of such importance, then, as he says: "In these times of war in which we live, we must give to the force publishes all the help that you need, especially if it is protecting the families of those who gave their lives to keep the country safe and provide a future of peace. "
Those who come to exhibitions and programs of the Green Heart Foundation can appreciate how art contributes to peace, not only as a mechanism for raising and civilization, but also, in this case, a tool to repair the consequences of the absurd war that has devastated our people.
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