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From: Biniam Tekle (biniamt@dehai.org)
Date: Thu May 19 2011 - 08:16:26 EDT
http://www.cbc.ca/manitoba/scene/other/2011/05/18/post-11/ Wednesday May 18,
2011 Picturing a Bright Future in Manitoba: Eritrean Women's Photography
Project
Over a two year period, artist Sarah Crawley mentored a group of Eritrean
women in the art of photography through the Winnipeg Arts Council's WITH ART
program. The result of this project is a quilt made of photographic images.
The quilt will be unveiled today at *5pm at the Immigrant Centre*, 100
Adelaide St, preceded by a coffee ceremony and followed by an Eritrean meal.
SCENE had a chance to speak with Enderasu Teweldebrahan,* *one of the
project participants, and artist Sarah Crawley. (With thanks to translator
Lambros Kyriakakos)
*Enderasu, what made you want to get involved in the project?
*It was a project aiming to assist single parent families with art
empowerment. As soon as we engaged in the process of photography learning
we realized that this project was offering more than photography. We were
all challenged with the issue of raising a family alone, in a new society
all of us with significant language barrier and all through our experience
had an inner strength. Participating in the project revealed strong
motivation to win in life and an unveiled strong spirit. Art is the vehicle
of healing, of building confidence. It brought us together.
*Sarah, what made you want to get involved?
*I wanted to be a part of the WITH ART program as it emphasizes the
importance of process in art-making. For me it is about developing trust,
sharing experiences and then creating something together.
*Enderasu, what have you learned about the art of photography?
*I learned technical skills. lab printing, dark room, digital camera use and
related media services. I learned how to improve pictures and navigate
through the art of photography.
*Sarah, can you tell us more about the photos in the quilt?**
*The images are photographs taken by the participants. The participants
photographed aspects of their lives here in Canada, their homes, families,
friends and community events. We decided as a group that the quilt would be
made up of images of their children, representing the future.
*How has this project changed you?
*Enderasu: I learned skills. I built confidence. It helped me restore some
lost roles at home. I was able to be the teacher of my children in
photography and strengthen parental roles that were weakened during the
integration process in a new society. I built friendships and learned to
appreciate more the blessing the Canadian Society.
Sarah: The strength and determination of the participants in overcoming the
challenges they have faced is inspiring. I always come away from our
meetings, workshops and community events with a profound sense of joy. My
art practice and my life have definitely been enriched.
*Enderasu, what do you want others to learn from the final quilt?
*This is a quilt made by the women of the Eritrean Community and represents
the new wave of African immigrants in Manitoba. It also represents women's
strength and determination to succeed prior to, during the immigration
process and after arriving in Canada. It also reveals the strength shown by
the Eritrean women in the social transformation and freedom of Eritrea as we
are all celebrating the 20 years of Eritrea's liberation and freedom.
[image: Eritrean-womennoside.jpg]
Endrasu Teweldebrhan (far left), Senait Tikabo, Bisirat Mebrahtu, Misgana
Tesfamicheal, Sarah Crawley (far right), (Christopher Friesen)
*Enderasu Teweldebrahan* is originally from Eritrea, Africa. She immigrated
to Canada in 2006 after losing her husband in a violent war in Ethiopia
while fighting for independence. Enderasu is a freedom fighter herself. At
the young age of 17, she joined a organization of strong Eritrean woman
fighting for social transformation and liberation. She is a single mother of
three children between the ages of 10 - 18. Enderasu prides herself on being
a diversified and unified African woman with a wide political conscious. The
Quilt photography project is a direct representation of her inner strength
and commitment.
*Sarah Crawley* is a multi-disciplinary artist. She works in the medium of
photography, book binding and video production. She has a BFA from the
University of Manitoba where she is now a photography technician. Crawley
has won many awards and has exhibited in both group and solo shows
nationally. She is very much involved in the Winnipeg arts scene, serving on
juries and boards of many art galleries. Crawley will be continuing her work
with the WITH ART, public art program in the years to come.
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