Enough Art For All

A Minnesota Without Poverty and collaborated Wednesday to present the opening of “In Search of ENOUGH,” an art exhibit aimed at addressing the concept of “enough” and the problem of poverty in the state of Minnesota.

Guests who attended the show enjoyed refreshments while viewing artwork that asked questions like “What is enough?” and “Who has enough?” 

After seeing the paintings, photographs, and sculptures, guests were invited to hear a presentation by the organization and see live performers.

Addressing attendees at the presentation, MLC’s Pastor Robert “Bob” Rusert, who himself submitted a painting of a fruitful cornucopia, explained how he sees the art as a “form of worship,” and defined the 2020 Enough For All vision as a community’s duty. 

A Minnesota Without Poverty is a statewide movement to end poverty in Minnesota by 2020. It is a partner in the Half in Ten Campaign, the national campaign to cut poverty in the United States in half by 2020.

Nancy Maeker, the Executive Director of A Minnesota Without Poverty, thanked guests for coming to join the dialogue confronting the state of the poor, and spoke about her organization’s belief that there is enough for all to have enough if everyone does his or her part.

Lewis Whitlock III, A Minnesota Without Poverty’s Artistic Director, introduced the live performers with a booming, theatrical voice.

There were two expressive dance performances. Julia Dinsmore, a welfare mother, recited her famous poem “My Name Is Not ‘Those People’” with passion.

“My name is not a problem and case to be managed,” Dinsmore read, reminding her listeners that amid efforts to help those hit in poverty, it is crucial to remember that the impoverished are still people. 

Gary Heil, the music director at MLC, performed a rock version of “Somewhere Over The Rainbow.” Mike Rusert, Pastor Bob’s son, shared some of his thoughts regarding the battered state of Somali refugees in Minnesota. And the Minnesota Church Ladies group presented part of their recent video series aimed at reminding people that there is enough for everyone to have enough.

Performers and advocates were in agreement that life is unfair, and that finding the means to support oneself and one’s children is difficult when there’s not a job-base available for everyone to have a sufficient income.

All guests were invited to contribute to a large artistic by writing down sayings or symbols they associated with word “enough” on colored squares of paper, which would then be sewn together in streamers to be hung at various sites across the state of Minnesota.

The artists, A Minnesota Without Poverty, and MLC all believed in using creativity to express a fervent desire to work together in hope that Minnesota can become one of the first states to obliterate poverty. 

Artwork is still on display in the MLC gallery.