Peace Exhibit

EPIDEMIC PEACE IMAGERY

Gardens Gallery, Madison

M-F 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Independent Living Inc.,602 N Segoe Road, 608-274-7900, www.indepenliving.com

The collaborative exhibit titled "Epidemic Peace Imagery: An Expanding Exhibition of Peace Works by Writers & Visual Artists" features hundreds of artworks, each representing a moment of peace, some combined with poetry or other text.

The concept of the exhibit was developed by Madison visual artist Russell Gardner, peace activist Claire Box and poet Robin Chapman in 2003. The purpose is to spread peace images to counter the ubiquitous images of war and violence, and inspire people to envision a way to a peaceful world.

"We hope that peace imagery spreads over people and replaces "the good war image" that now dominates our foreign policy," said Russell Gardner.

The project has grown from 43 entries four years ago to nearly 600 to date. The exhibit has been displayed simultaneously in venues from California to Wisconsin. Contributing artists are from 56 Wisconsin communities, 30 states and 24 countries. Gardner invites local artists to share their vision of peace with a poem, other words, visual art or a combination.

Feb 11-15, Mon–Fri 8 am–6 pm

Exhibition Display: “Abolish Nuclear Weapons - the Lesson from Hiroshima & Nagasaki”

Madison, State Capitol Rotunda.

The Hiroshima Peace Culture Foundation, headquartered in Japan, created the posters and is providing them at no charge because they believe they have a special role to play in helping others learn about the terrible devastation in Hiroshima and Nagasaki caused by nuclear weapons in 1945. They hope that as more people all over the world become aware of the truth of nuclear weapons they will demand their abolition. A coalition of Madison-area organizations and individuals is hosting the Exhibition.

Two specific goals are:

1) To get the abolition of nuclear weapons on the political agenda and

2) to generate public awareness so that citizens will participate in the public hearing on Saturday morning, February 16 at 10 a.m.in the Capitol to stop military plans for the new nuclear weapons program, "Complex Transformation," which at a cost of $150 billion would refurbish all nuclear weapons producing facilities.

If you would like to be a part of this work, as a docent at the exhibit, or by testifying at the Hearing on 2/16, or by bringing the Exhibition to your community, contact Lee Brown at leebrown807 [at] tds [dot] net

"Who Profits from the Iraq War?"

A talk by G. Simon Harak, S.J., Marquette University professor of theology and director, MU Center for Peacemaking.

Monday, Feb. 11, noon to 1 pm

Milwaukee Area Technical College, 1015 N 6th St., Room M616

Free and open to the public. Sponsored by American Federation of Teachers Local 212