YOU SEE ME, AND I SEE YOU

AN EXHIBITION OF WORK BY THE CHILDREN AND ARTISTS OF ARTS CAN DO
29 OCT – 4 NOV 2014
Fundraising Auction Reception: 2-4pm Sunday 2 Nov
JAMES COHAN GALLERY SHANGHAI
Curated by Shen Qilan

Art lets us see each other, recognize each.
You see me, and I see you.
When one life encounters another, a smile is the best exchange.
Build trust with Arts Can Do.

An Opportunity to Help the Poorest Children

One of New York's leading galleries is hosting an exceptional event in Shanghai: You See Me and I See You, an exhibition of paintings by children from poor and remote communities, along with works by artists who have undertaken Arts Can Do residencies, and other donated pieces.

Arts Can Do is a charity initiative that brings artists from around the world to work with the children of migrant workers and mentally disabled children. We provide art materials, teachers and visiting local and international artists to give these young people some of the creative experiences we take for granted with our own children. From the children of Xucun, a remote mountain village in Shanxi province, to kids from the poorest quarters of booming Shanghai comes a range of expressive and surprisingly joyous pictures.

Watching the face of a child making a painting, literally for the first time in his or her life, is to see a mind entering a new dimension. To see the expressive smiling faces of children whose lives have known little love interacting with people who show respect for their thoughts and creations is to see the blossoming of new hope. The sheer joy and excitement generated is a testimony to the impact of Arts Can Do. We bring the opportunity for creativity, self-expression and education to the poorest of the poor, the forgotten children of the economic miracle. You See Me, and I See You celebrates the work of these children and the artists who have helped them find a path to the future.

The exhibition is an opportunity to support Arts Can Do by purchasing the children's paintings, or pieces by the international and Chinese artists who have so generously devoted time to these impoverished communities. This exhibition is sponsored by the James Cohan Gallery of New York and Shanghai and curated by prominent art critic, Shen Qilan. Work by our children has already been seen nationally on Chinese television and featured in an exhibition in Beijing. Please come and visit the exhibition with your family and friends. It will provide a glimpse into a world that is more vibrant and hopeful than you might have imagined.

Yashian Schauble founder of Australia China Art Foundation and Zhang Yichao founder of Shanghai Jiuqian Volunteer Centre invite you to join us for a fundraising auction on 2 November, where you will have the opportunity to acquire some wonderful art. If your company can contribute any item that could be included in the auction we would love to hear from you.

ARTS CAN DO - SOCIAL CHANGE FOR CHILDREN THROUGH THE ARTS IN CHINA
Arts Can Do is an Australia China Art Foundation (ACAF) initiative.