The Tribune

By ALESHA CADET

Tribune Features Reporter

acadet@tribunemedia.net

COMBINING Health and Wellness with the value of craft and beauty is the objective of a new exhibition, “Matters of the Heart”, by Bahamian artists in the Salus Project.

In conjunction with the Sassoon Foundation and Heart Ball, the exhibit will be held Thursday night at the Ladder Gallery, New Providence Community Centre.

The Salus Project, a student art production, was created by Family Medicine Center medical director Dr Graham Cates and his wife, Nurse Anita Cates. The duo brought the concept to life for young artists to express themselves in all five areas of wellness: Spiritual, Financial, Physical, Emotional and Social. The artwork at the exhibit will be donated to the Sassoon Foundation for a silent auction at the Heart Ball on February 16.

Dr Cates told Tribune Health: “February is heart month and Matters of the Heart has been organised by the Salus Project to bring awareness to heart disease in the Bahamas. We want to raise funds for the Sassoon Foundation, which uses the funds to provide heart surgery for children in the Bahamas. The surgeries are performed here or in the United States,” said Dr Cates.

The artists exhibiting work include: June Collie, Yutavia George, Preston Hanna, Chris Symonette, Edrin Symonette’s, Ernest Forbes, Taiisha Isaacs, Charlthorn and Allan P Wallace.

Yutavia said her pieces are called “Network” and “Contact”, both acrylic on canvas. Explaining them in depth, she said: “These pieces represent the Sassoon Heart Foundation, Bahamas Heart Association and the Bahamian community. They highlight the demand for more networking between each group concerning information, resources and support. The work symbolises the necessary contact with each other for survival as a symbiotic balance.”

Edrin’s submission “Weathered” is a mixed media piece on paper and “Grammy” uses plaster, acrylic and shoe polish.

“Edrin believes that it would only be appropriate to consider the life of his grandmother for have enduring so much during her lifetime. Therefore, his pieces are tributes to his grandmother. If one could live so long without a heart condition or serious disease, that it is blessing,” said Yutavia.

Dr Cates said all Bahamians must be made aware of the burden of heart disease in the country. He said the more opportunities that Bahamians have to create forums for discussion, the greater the impact.

“The greater the impact, the greater opportunity for persons to change behaviours that lead to heart disease. There is also the opportunity for Bahamians to generously give to the Sassoon Foundation to benefit children that require heart surgery,” said Dr Cates.

Yutavia said as one of many young artists in the Bahamas, she has a responsibility to be aware of the issues affecting people in the country.

“Communities like the Sassoon Heart Foundation work tirelessly to help people living with heart disease in the Bahamas. This Salus Exhibition has given young artists the opportunity to be represented in the dialogue and shows that young people are conscious of the issues in the Bahamas and are making efforts to support and help raise awareness,” said Yutavia.

The Salus Project is planning a number of projects this year, including an event scheduled for Earth Day 2013.