FEBRUARY 2015

“BOTSWANA AND THE ART of The KALAHARI”

The Goldenberg Group, The People Helping People Foundation and Gravers Lane Gallery proudly present the third in a series of  educational exhibitions,  honoring Black History Month.  Curated by Cynthia Friedman. Benefiting the Botswana University of Pennsylvania Partnership.

OPENING RECEPTION: THURSDAY FEBRUARY 5     5-8PM

Cindy Friedman is a professional studio artist working in the Philadelphia area for more than 30 years. She works primarily in silk and makes art quilts. Her husband, Harvey M. Friedman, MD is a Professor of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and for the past 13 plus years has been the Director of the Botswana-UPenn Partnership (BUP), which is comprised of three main partners; the Government of Botswana, the University of Botswana and the University of Pennsylvania. The BUP believes that quality medicine should be available to populations in need. Through clinical care, research and medical education, the BUP is devoted to building capacity in sustainable and high quality healthcare in Botswana.

(http://www.med.upenn.edu/botswana/TheBUP.shtml)

BUP has taken us to Botswana many times and because of that exceptional opportunity Cindy has developed personal relationships with many of the artists in Gaborone, the capital city where they stay when in Botswana. She has also built a close relationship with the National Museum of Botswana, the Ministry of Art and Culture, The Kalahari Quilt shop and owner/quilt artist Jenny Healy and the Kuru Development Trust. She has taken four art quilt exhibitions to Botswana since 2008 and has taught workshops while visiting. She also has a long-standing friendship with Bruce Hoffman and heexpressed the desire to have a first ever exhibition of Botswana artwork at Gravers Lane Gallery. Together, we chose the artwork for this exhibition.

Cynthia and Dr. Harvey Friedman