Widowsweave

Widowsweave is an awareness raising series of performances highlighting the conditions of Iraqi Widows who often struggle to acquire even basic necessities such as clean water or adequate shelter. Through artistic durational activities the artist and public participants mark 3,000,000 lines representing the number of Iraqi widows from 30 years of war, tyranny and sanctions.

News

Kevin Valentine will have three new pieces in the Faculty Show at North Central College, Naperville. The reception is April 8th, from 6-8



Saturday, January 16, 2010

New Performances Jan 17-Feb 30, 2010


                                                                   Photo: Susan Kwon 2009
Dear friends and concerned artists,

Performances start Tomorrow, January 17th at 2-4pm at Greenleaf Ave. (Loyola Park) beach in Rogers Park, Chicago. (7000N at Lakefront, two blocks North of Morse El stop on the Red line).
Please come by and show support for Iraqi Widows.

Look for a new location schedule each week at www.birddenoftruth.blogspot.com until new website is up.

Kevin Valentine will be performing Widows:Lines in the Sand daily from January 17th - February 28* to raise awareness of the continuing hardships faced by Iraqi widows.  He will attempt, solo or with help from interested citizens (you all), to draw an average of 10,000 lines a day for a total of 430,000 lines in the sand. This will be done at area beaches and other locations whenever possible. The goal is 3 million lines by this time next year.

A line in the sand represents a boundary, a limit.  Thus far and no farther.  How many times do we redraw that line?  There are up to 3 million Iraqi widows from almost 30 years of violence, war and sanctions, sectarian violence and turmoil.  Kevin is dedicating his MFA thesis, and most of the year prior and following, to raising awareness about the lack of basic necessities such as clean water, food and the desperation which follows a lack of resources and support for these women and their children in Iraq, in refugee camps and even for refugees in the US.  There will also be many fundraising activities.**

If you want to help, you can come out and draw lines, you can tell others about this work and you can donate to worthy causes.
One of my biggest challenges is to find charities working with those most in need.  I will be putting up links to charities on an upcoming www.widowsweave.com website in the next couple of weeks.***

For now:
Please watch my blog: www.birddenoftruth.blogspot.com for updates.
Check out selected past performances at the birddenoftruth channel on Youtube, or on the blog above.
I will also be setting up a facebook page soon and other webpages.


In the meantime, you can contact me here at:
consciousv@gmail.com

Thanks to all for your support,
Kevin Valentine



*This marks the 19th anniversary of the coalition war on Iraq. Bombing began on January 17th and a cease fire was declared on February 28th in 1991. 

**I plan to have pledge sheets for line drawing (like running for a cause), artwork for sale with percentages going to charities. My thesis exhibition (late April- through May) will have a participatory element as well.  Look for these also on the upcoming website in the next few months. 

***If you want to donate now, you can donate to:
 The Iraq Foundation's Widow's Empowerment Project or
The Aftermath Project  War is Only Half the Story(specify that it is for the Widowsweave fund to support a future project in Iraq)
Please let me know if you donate, so that I can keep a running total!

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