Most of us will never understand the struggles refugees go through, but perhaps through the lens of art we can clearly see that we are all connected.
The 'We All Belong' exhibit, which was implemented by a group of concerned residents and artists in cooperation with the Cowichan Valley Arts Council, will have its grand opening on July 9 at 7 p.m., inside CVAC's gallery located in the Cowichan Community Centre. The exhibit will be on display until Aug. 6.
Organizer Dr. Goetz Schuerholz, and his wife the former who is the former Lord Mayor of Heidelberg, Germany, where they live part time said it is one of the centres of refugees requesting asylum in Germany, with hundreds of arrivals daily who are then distributed across the country after being vetted by the authorities.
"We are exposed daily to most disturbing news about wars and effects of climate change forcing people to leave their homes in search for a peaceful place to live where they have enough to eat and not be afraid of losing their lives," said Schuerholz. "Over the years, we have noticed with grave concern the dramatically increasing xenophobia, with demonstrations country-wide against letting immigrants into the country and Europe, similar to that in the USA. People trying to get to Europe or any other safe place have horror stories to tell. My wife Beate and I decided to bring this global humanitarian crisis to the attention of our neighbours and people within the Cowichan Valley. The exhibition should serve as a wake-up call, raising awareness of the terrible happenings in the world and providing a better understanding of and appreciation for refugees who may now be our new neighbours."
According to the the UN Refugee Agency, at the end of 2023 alone 117.3 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced as a result of persecution, conflict, violence, or human rights violations — 47 million of those were children. Most refugees experience trauma from the loss of their family members, friends, and all that was familiar to them while others may suffer with physical or mental pain.
"People trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea are drowning by the thousands, and people trying to enter the USA from Mexico are dying by the hundreds in the Sonoran Desert," said Schuerholz. "While in Europe, we have taken part in numerous demonstrations against the dramatic swing to the right, mainly caused by xenophobia. Living in Canada, a safe place, far away from wars and not feeling yet the dangerous environmental effects of climate change as people do in other parts of the world, many people are not aware of the ever-growing refugee drama."
These are the types of trials and tribulations that will be expressed in the new exhibit through the mediums of photography, sculptures and paintings. Schuerholz, who has been dabbling in art since 2016, is among the 41 participating artists who are mostly local who have all created work linked to to climate and war refugees. His paintings 'Out of Africa' and 'Refugees at Closed Borders' will be among the 80 objects on display which include more paintings, two, and three-dimensional objects, photographs, fabrics, and sculptures of metal and stone. The intent is through showcasing the individual stories of the refugees who live in the Cowichan Valley, it will connect community as art creates awareness and a greater appreciation of the hardships endured by those who were forced to both leave their homes, and ancestral grounds.
"Expressing my feelings and empathy with people suffering so many hardships, I have tried to express this through paintings and sculptures, some of which will be in the exhibition," said Schuerholz. "Meeting and brainstorming with like-minded local artists in the Cowichan Valley, we decided in 2024 on an art exhibition with a focus on the international refugee crisis. 'We All Belong' is the product of a one-year effort to get this together."
