The children featured in the exhibit may be safe, but are theoretically the most vulnerable to traffickers that have captured roughly 27 million slaves globally, according to statistics from human rights organizations.
Springfield-Staff Photo by Dave Roback-Artist Robert Markey of Ashfield, yoga instructor Karoun Charkoudian of Springfield and gallery director Matthew Derderian of The Hill - City Church are seen in the gallery in downtown Springfield on Friday evening. SPRINGFIELD - One small girl came with the rest, working on mosaics fervently with the visiting American artists in the streets of Sihanoukville, Cambodia, for a solid week.
Then, disappeared.
Another girl, 10, came to Ashfield artist Robert Markey’s street workshop for children in Cambodia, dirty and wordless most days. Until she slipped a tiny hand in Markey’s about five days in.
The children are subjects of Markey’s upcoming art exhibit at The Hill at 111 Chestnut St. entitled “SAFE?” The project will feature eight portraits of poor children Markey worked with in Cambodia and Brazil, designed to raise awareness of human trafficking.
The children featured may be safe, but are theoretically the most vulnerable to traffickers that have captured roughly 27 million slaves globally, according to statistics from human rights organizations. Between 600,000 and 800,000 are being trafficked across international borders each year, the numbers state, with 80 percent being women and children.
The most common nine countries as human trafficking destinations include Thailand, Israel, the Netherlands and the United States.
Markey has traditionally taken on causes large and small through his art. In 2010, he unwittingly created a stir championing the equal rights of local exotic dancers after featuring a pole dancer on one of several painted sneakers in the “Art and Soles” citywide exhibit sponsored by the Business Improvement District.
The agency objected to the image on the bottom of a dance-themed sneaker and ordered it painted black, prompting a censorship controversy that ended in a roundabout apology from the district.
In his upcoming show, however, Markey is tackling a much graver issue he said he felt compelled to look at after becoming more cognizant of the growing numbers of children and young adults trapped in the global commercial sex trade.
“I became sort of obsessed by it. And I thought, what can I really do as an artist except raise awareness,” Markey said, during an interview while hanging his work at The Hill, a hybrid Christian church entertainment venue in the heart of the city.
Markey noted that Massachusetts just passed an anti-trafficking law this year - the 48th state to do so.
“That sort of blew me away,” he said.
The exhibit also will be featured at local colleges including Springfield College in the coming year.
As for The Hill, the venue will host a combination art/music/Yoga fund-raiser on Jan. 21 starting at 4 p.m.
“My studio serves a very diverse community, for all shapes and sizes. So it’s gentle and perfect for beginners,” said Karoun Charkoudian, director of Karoun Yoga studio, located in the same block as The Hill and the only one downtown.
Markey will play the sitar in the classes, and The Hill will feature cellist Scott Halligan, a Franklin County musician.
Suggested donations for the event are $10 to $20 but organizers say all are welcome.
The “SAFE?” exhibit will be available for viewing through Jan. 24 and be accessible on weekends, according to gallery director Matthew Derderian.