Thunder Bay Artists Come Together to Promote Unity in Community
Story by Leah Morningstar, Photos submitted by Fritz Lehmberg
October welcomes a new art exhibit at Co.Lab Gallery & Arts Centre in Goods and Co. Market called One People, One Planet, One Justice. The idea for this exhibit began two years ago during a gathering of the Thunder Bay Baha’i community. They met for fellowship, but also for discussion about the state of the city and what could be done to help it to grow and flourish as a community. One thing that kept coming up was art and its power to connect people.
After the Baha’i gathering, Fritz Lehmberg (of Early Snows Pottery) wanted to keep the conversation going and keep the ideas flowing. In keeping with the idea that art is a vital part of any community, Lehmberg organized the exhibit at Co.Lab. Artists from all over the region submitted art that kept within the theme of “One People, One Planet, One Justice.”
The Boy from the Sun and the Girl from the Moon, Duncan Weller
Lehmberg says he asked the artists to reflect on the title of the show and think about the following questions: What is community? How can we support each other in meaningful ways? What does unity look like? How can we be unified regardless of gender, religion, social status, wealth, and race? What does justice even look like? There are 15 artists participating in the exhibit, showcasing a variety of different mediums. “My own pottery will be in the show and my partner will have some textile art, and there’s another artist with soapstone,” Lehmberg says.
One of the paintings is titled We are all in the same boat, we all deserve a safe passage. The people in the boat represent international asylum seekers all around the world. Boats like this are ever-present in humanitarian situations like escaping from natural disasters, and fleeing oppression and war. The artist, Patrick Doyle, wants people to think about how we all share one planet and we are all one species. We’re all in the same boat and we all deserve the same passage of safety, care, peace, and justice.
Remember the Children, Leona McEwan
For another painting, not by one artist but by many, a canvas was placed in the front lawn of the Pert-Wesley family’s home; kids walking by or out playing could add to it. The canvas was later moved into the family’s house where visitors—kids and adults—could continue adding to it. The end result is an abstract canvas of colours and shapes; it’s an eclectic illustration, not from not one person, but from an entire community of people who worked together.
The show will have many other thought-provoking pieces—mostly paintings, but also pottery and textiles. If you’re able to visit Co.Lab Gallery & Arts Centre this month, you’ll see a great example of what people working together can do. And maybe you’ll want to take time to reflect on your own answers to these questions: what does community mean to you? How are we all connected on this one planet? How can we work together?
One People, One Planet, One Justice opens October 4 and will run until October 21 at Co.Lab Gallery & Arts Centre. For more information, visit colabgallery.ca.
