The very first paintings by hundreds of children from northern Madagascar’s rainforest, one of the poorest and most environmentally threatened regions of the world, were exhibited in a fundraising exhibition and champagne reception December at Rogue Space | Chelsea.
Many of the paintings were created from naturally occurring pigments extracted from native fruits and plants such as rangazaha (sword leaf wax lily), vanilla, cloves and trotrobato (bush currents). The exhibition was a unique opportunity to experience the biodiversity, colors and fragrances of the Madagascar rainforest through the children’s creative renderings.
100% of proceeds were returned to support the children’s further education and assist sustainable community eco projects. All proceeds will be administered by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in Madagascar to fund art programs in the communities where the children live.
The children live in communities whose very existence is being threatened by destructive deforestation and farming practices engaged in due to extreme poverty.
The I Am Madagascar Children’s Empowerment Art Project was the eight in a series of exhibitions by Rogue Foundation showcasing the work of children in need from around the world, following on from I Am Haiti, I Am Afghanistan, I Am Syria, I Am New York, I Am Congo and I Am Palestine and I Am Nepal.
With each project Rogue Foundation brings art supplies to children living in conflict zones or economically challenged areas around the world, inviting them to create, to express, to share and to heal. Their works are exhibited at Rogue Space Gallery and 100% of funds are returned to the children to support their ongoing education and development.
The I Am Madagascar Children’s Empowerment Art Project is a collaboration between Rogue Foundation, Conservation through Poverty Alleviation International (CPALI.org) and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS.org).
The project team visited village children in the Makira/Masoala/Maroantsetra área of Northern Madagascar, the largest remaining track to rainforest in the world. The concept of the art projects is to give children, who usually are painting for the very first time, the opportunity to create and express themselves in color and to imagine and manifest what they want to occur in their lives and in their communities.
For information on how to purchase the paintings in this exhibition please contact us at at info@RogueFoundation.org or at 212-751-2210. Your purchase will be helping a child in need reach their goals in life and support communities at the edge of the world’s largest remaining rainforest in Madagascar.
Rogue Foundation projects are 100% funded by events at Rogue Space | Chelsea event and exhibition space.
With kindness,
Kevin O’Hanlon
Founder, Rogue Foundation