Eritrean Video Art Project 2010
EVAP / Eritrean Video Art Project was designed to assist the Eritrean community in Winnipeg to enable their youth, (ages 15-30), in partnership with the older generation, to explore their creative voice in video art as a way to articulate their experience of growing up in and navigating two cultures.
The EVAP project provided an opportunity for the Eritrean community and their youth to gain more understanding of art video. There was enormous energy and excitement at the initial screening of these video works as the community members viewed work which represented their youth’s perspective, ideas and themselves as actors. This type of opportunity empowers a community and gives them a voice. The students expressed positive comments on the final evaluation forms and community members expressed how much they valued this opportunity to collaborate with and support their youth in this video creation project.
Project organizers:
Karen Cornelius is a practicing professional printmaker and new media artist. She has previously organized and managed a number of international projects such as Inside Outside with Trinidadian and Winnipeg artists through the MHC Gallery and Vois Gallery , Infinite Proof with Chinese and Canadian artists in Hong Kong and In Your Dreams a touring exhibition between Australian , German and Canadian artists. She is the vice president of the Video Pool board of directors and was the recipient of the First Video Fund in 2002. She also lived in Eritrea for two and a half years.
Lambros Kyriakakos is the chairman of the Eritrean Community in Winnipeg and is a nurse by training.
Cornelius and Kyriakakos have worked together in the past on the Eritrean tenth liberation day celebration and during a residency at Art City.
Project Educators:
Sandee Moore a professional artist and the director of Video Pool.
Marjorie Roden a filmmaker with experience working with emerging video artists from a variety of communities.
Leah Decter a professional artist who has experience working with intercity youth in Vancouver and Winnipeg.
Alison Davis a practicing professional video artist. She has experience working with Crossing Communities in Winnipeg.
Elvira Finnegan a professional artist and familiar with working with video.
Nicole Shiminock a professional artist with experience working with video
John Coutanche a video and sound artist
Project Participants:
Semir Ali Recent newcomer, Lived in Sudan, studied in University attended recently the LEEP program 6 months integration program. Primary language Arabic/English
Daniel Egubat: Been in Winnipeg for more than three years . Previous experience in Video recording. Active in community work, video recording Primary language Tigrigna /English
Meriam Tesfamichael High School student has been in Winnipeg 4 years active in the community. Lived in Sudan as a Refugee for many years Primary language Arabic /Tigrigna/English
Kam Omer High School student been in Winnipeg more than 6 years active in community work Primary language Billen/ Tigrigna /English
Mussie Abraham Newcomer very active in Community work, lived in Sudan few years and brings a lot of experience to the community. University student Primary language Tigrigna/English
Selam Tseada High School student, Active in the Community Lives in Winnipeg for more than 6 years, resourceful. Primary language Tigrinya /English
Jawahir Babekir High School student newcomer Primary language Arabic/ Hidareb/ Tigrigna/ learning English
Solomun Gebregzabiher Board member of the Eritrean Community in Winnipeg. Extensive Video experience Tigrigna/English
Araia Seyoum: Youth Coordinator Community/ Extensive Community experience Raised in Canada. Resourceful Primary language Tigrigna / English
Edon Zemichael: High School student Lived in Winnipeg for 3 years, Primary language Tigrigna/ English
Nasa High School student lived Winnipeg for 3 years, Primary language Tigrigna/ English
Selemawit High School student recent newcomer lived in Winnipeg for 1 years, Primary language Tigrigna/ English
Henock High School student lived in Winnipeg for 2 years, Primary language Tigrigna/ English