Artists for East Timor exhibition
By Stephen O'Brien
NEWCASTLE — An art exhibition here, organised by Artists for East Timor and Action in Solidarity with Indonesia and East Timor (ASIET), raised more $3000 for East Timor.
The exhibition was held from December 15 to 24 in the View Factory Arts Café. Twenty six local artists donated 60 works, including cartoons, prints, pastels, oils, drawings and photographs. The majority of the works were sold.
The official opening on December 19, attended by 50 people, heard Sister Carmel Hanson, a long-time defender of the rights of the East Timorese people, speak about the need to understand that it wasn't "all over" in East Timor just because media attention had waned.
Exhibition coordinator Blair Charlton told Green Left Weekly, "While we were confident that local artists would respond to our 'Call to Artists', we had no guarantees about the buyers. Local ABC radio publicised the exhibition on programs such as the Art Show and our print media coverage included the local Catholic newspaper. The results show that the word got out."
ASIET activist Adam Leeman commented that the exhibition catalogue included information about the People's Inquiry into Australia's "special relationship" with East Timor. He added that Newcastle ASIET looked forward to holding the Newcastle hearing of the national inquiry in late February.
Proceeds from the exhibition, including the gallery's commission, will go to aid reconstruction efforts in East Timor. Benefiting organisations are the Maubere Cooperative Foundation, which is involved in organising coffee cooperatives and a language institute in East Timor, the Salesian Sisters, who are involved in education, and the Student Solidarity Council.