Painting titled "Drunken City"
We would like to share an email received by the Arrive Alive road safety website:
“I am writing to you from the Orion Organisation, a therapeutic and training centre for children and adults with mental physical and intellectual disabilities. The organisation is based in Atlantis, approximately 50km from Cape, Western Cape. Orion is a registered Non Profit & Section 21 Company with PBO status.
Our proud projects:
- a day care centre for 30 children – 18 months to 18 years old;
- activity day care for profoundly disabled people over the age of 18 years old;
- residential care facility for 60 disabled adults, including a semi-frail care home;
- an art centre where the profoundly disabled can creatively express themselves by painting on canvasses. These artwork are being sold and exhibited.
- two training work centres (income generating project) where low to high functioning disabled adults are taught a variety of skills with the aim to eventually place them into the open labour market.
- As well as possible accommodation for 15 frail adults over the age of 60 as from April 2012 (awaiting final approval and finalisation of screening etc)
With this communication we would like to highlight our Enabling Art Centre (EAC) Project which we are very proud of.
The EAC aims to enable and liberate profoundly disabled artists to use their creative ideas and talents to elevate them
from limitations to possibilities, by breaking down stigmatization, victimization and segregation. The objective is to use
the EAC initiative to create opportunities to stimulate social dialogue and intervention, and inspiring social justice by addressing the following sensitive issues, which also form part of the UN Millennium Development goals,
Gender Equality
LGBT
Youth
Proactive Health
Racial Diversity
Impoverished
Greening
After a recent appearance on television, SABC2, Fokus with Lynette Francis, we received quite a few calls regarding one of the art pieces people saw during the programme. The painting was done by Christopher Edwards (Down Syndrome) and his team who expressed how they perceive our community when it comes to the issue of alcohol and drug abuse. This particular art piece called “Drunken City” is currently used at our events when we address the abovementioned pillars.
We are of the opinion that so much more can be done with this art piece. Some ideas come to mind:
- Can we use it during Arrive Alive Campaigns?
- Can this become the logo when topics such as drug and alcohol abuse is debated or discussed?
I am uncertain as to the process involved with suggestions or recommendations like this, hence the reason why I am emailing this to you all. I trust it will be channelled to the appropriate departments or individuals that can make a decision around this and look forward to your reply in this regard.
You can also visit our Art Centre website/ blog: www.orionfriendship.org/artcentre for more information.
Regards,
Priscilla”
[This has also been shared with Road Safety Authorities in the Western Cape]