A project that incorporates stories from immigrants coupled with their portraits which is being compiled by CommonWeal Community Arts Inc., involved a trio of Estevan newcomers.
Gerry Ruecker, southern artistic director for Common Weal was accompanied by photographer Michael Bell for the day in Estevan on May 11 that included interviews with Sumit Kumar, Konstantin Toroshchin and Daphne Lavina, three subjects selected by the Southeast Newcomers Services to tell their story.
Ruecker said Southeast Newcomers was a suitable source for them since the people being asked to participate in the project would be comfortable around the Newcomers staff and at their office on Sixth Street which is where the interviews and photos were taken.
The project, entitled A Rightful Place “uses art as a medium for influencing positive change,” said Ruecker. “It’s a mandate to improve the world, and I know, it sounds pretty grandiose,” he said with a chuckle, but the project will no doubt shed some important light on how and why immigrants chose Canada as their new home.
“Everybody knows about Canada,” said Kumar, the first person to have his photo taken.
He, along with the other two, have embraced Canada, Estevan and the business community.
Kumar is the owner/manager of Elegant Rose, a women’s apparel and accessories retail store in downtown Estevan, while Toroshchin holds a similar title for Beeline Taxi and Lavina operates Aces Connections Consultancy Inc., a regulated Canadian immigration advisory company.
“We’re covering the province, hitting 10 cities, like Estevan, Weyburn, North Battleford, Yorkton and so on, working with three newcomer immigrants in each location. That means we’ll have 30 photos and experiences to relate,” said Ruecker. The candidates are also being asked to record parts of their current life in Saskatchewan, including their families’ story, their places of residence and work, and some of their leisure pursuits.
The results will be compiled and displayed at the Art Gallery of Regina in February 2017. Those who participated will be presented with a professionally framed portrait of themselves as a way of thanks for agreeing to participate in the venture.
Where the subjects come from, why they chose Canada and stories about their travels and perhaps problems they encountered in getting here, were welcomed responses along with any comments they wished to add in regards to their experiences of living in Canada.
“Each candidate has agreed to share their immigrant experience,” said Ruecker. “The project is to bridge that sense of otherness and the fact that while these newcomers may be from another country, there is really no difference, immigrants become a stronger part of the community,” said Ruecker who added that after the exhibit completes its mandated stay in Regina, Common Weal will attempt to arrange a two-year provincial tour of the work.
Estevan was the third stop on the schedule.
“Actually, I feel quite humbled when I hear what they have experienced in getting to Canada, and none of them are blowing their own trumpets and some have had some pretty fascinating experiences,” Ruecker said.
The project and Common Weal receive funding support from the Canada Council of the Arts and the Saskatchewan Arts Board among others.
While waiting for his photo to be taken, Kumar said he made his way to Canada and Estevan in the latter part of 2014, by way of northern India and then to Dubai for six years before landing here where he has explored his entrepreneurial spirit with the shop that sells ladies garments and gifts with a lot of the stock being imported from various international sources.
“I was in the banking business when I was in Dubai, now my wife Anita and I are trying this business,” he said with a smile before being ushered into the temporary studio for the photo shoot.
His will be one of 30 stories included in the project and presentation, once it reaches the stage where it will be ready for the gallery in Regina.
