There are few differences between artists and advocates and their power is magnified by the U of O club Canvas for Change
Maybe you have a song you always return to when you are feeling sad. Maybe there is a piece of art you cannot stop staring at – each time you look at, it another detail catches your eye. Maybe there is a TV show character whose life you wish you could inhabit. Whatever it is, there is surely some form of art that eases your feelings of isolation.
Artists exist to express the feelings, disappointments, and loves that we all share through words or images. The importance of making art is to build a community based on a shared emotion, concept, or hope. This is where the interaction with activism comes into play.
The U of O club Canvas for Change was created in acknowledgment of this intersection. In an interview with the Fulcrum, club founders Sarah Almasaad and Majd Sabbagh explain, “Canvas for Change is driven by a deep passion to address various injustices that persist in our world.”
The club was created in reaction to the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Syria and Turkey on February 6, 2023. Almasaad and Sabbagh, who both call Syria home, were distraught and disheartened by the lack of humanitarian aid afforded to Syrians.
“Even when there were some donations to Syria, they would either not reach the Syrian people due to sanctions, or they would be stolen and sold due to post-war corruption…knowing that this would be the reality for our friends and family after enduring such a difficult time with the war was devastating and infuriating.”
This frustration ultimately added fuel to the fire. Rattled with urgency and concern for their friends in Syria, Almasaad and Sabbagh aimed to take action and raise awareness about this social injustice, and many others, around the community at the University of Ottawa.
A notable artist who inspired Almasaad and Sabbagh is the Palestinian multidisciplinary artist and activist Riham Issac. Specifically, Issac’s project named “Stone on Road” reflects the championing of social justice through art that both Almasaad and Sabbagh aspire by founding Canvas for Change.
“Stone on Road” pictures Issac rolling a stone up the street, inspired by her previous sighting of an elegant woman dressed all in black church clothes and yellow shoes, casually throwing rocks at Israeli forces.
“Passersby were now able to perceive the street as a reminder: that this is a street of revolution and not just a normal street,” said the co-founders. ”Through her work, we were able to see the impact that art can have on social justice and we wanted other students to see it too and be inspired. We truly believe that we can utilize art as a powerful weapon to combat social injustices happening around the world.”
The club is open for any students to join as well as all forms of expression and art. Canvas for Change’s aim is to voice their concerns, raise awareness, and paint canvases to represent the struggles of the people for which they want to make a difference, giving them shape and colour so that they are apparent to all eyes. Students who are interested in being part of positive change can visit Canvas for Change on the Instagram page @cfc.uottawa.
