If it’s true that art comes from suffering, the creative efforts that are currently on display at Walkerville’s Artspeak Gallery could stand as evidence.
HeArt From the Streets is an art exhibition that showcases pieces by local individuals who have experienced homelessness, mental health issues and other difficulties in life.
“Some of our artists had never even picked up a paintbrush before we started doing our workshops, and this was their first exposure to that kind of experience,” says show organizer Batoolio — the creative name of Windsor artist Batool Yahya.
Yahya says the idea for the exhibition came to her while working at Windsor’s Homelessness and Housing Help Hub, noticing the creative potential of her clients.
Throughout this year, Yahya and a group of volunteers have been spending time with people who make use of shelters or other social services — and providing them with art supplies.
“We were able to conduct a series of workshops from February up until Aug. 15,” Yahya says. “And we were able to purchase canvas, supplies, paintbrushes, paint.”
The results are dozens of pieces representing a wide variety of styles — from abstract expressionism to surrealism to comic books.
Khalad Youssef says the act of creating art helps him deal with his mental health problems.
“It’s one of the thing things that really gives me joy and satisfies me, gives me peace to my soul,” he says.
“When I do it, I mix colours on the canvas. I really think about all the problems I had and just let it into the painting — so it really eases my pain, you know?”
Among his artistic influences, Youssef cites anime series such as Attack On Titan and One Piece.
Cody Farrugia turned to art to address his criminal past — which includes multiple robbery convictions and an arrest as recent as January 2022.
“I robbed stores,” explains Farrugia, 26. “I decided to change my life around through my art.”
Along with creating paintings and drawings, Farrugia has been telling his personal story in a comic book series entitled “Robber: The Mac’s Milk Bandit.” The series has been chronicling a nine-month period in 2018 when Farrugia robbed six convenience stores.
“I wanted to showcase that even though you make mistakes and can be labelled a bad person, you can be something better. I want to take my biggest failure and turn it into my biggest success,” Farrugia says.
Farrugia is the comic’s protagonist, but he says its “second main character” is a real-life store worker who was subject to Farrugia’s criminal behaviour on several occasions.
“He’s the guy I robbed, like, four times. I wanted to put him in the series as a kind of acknowledgement, right? I regret what I did to him, and I hope he gets some attention in a good way.”
HeArt From the Streets is being made possible by a grant from the City of Windsor’s Arts, Culture and Heritage Fund.
It’s the second year from the art show, which was previously called Colors of Resilience.
The exhibition will be viewable at the Artspeak Gallery (1942 Wyandotte St. East) until Sept. 1.
Much of the art on display is available for purchase, with all proceeds going to the creators.
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