Debra Kapnek "Out of Africa"

Thursday, February 1st was an invitation only reception for Debra Kapnek’s current exhibition “Out of Africa”. By the time I arrived at 6:30pm, the gallery was already packed. Several speakers were invited to highlight the situation in Darfur, Sudan. They would be the voices representing the millions disenfranchised by the current civil war in Darfur. But the most engaging of messengers were not the people in the room, but the people in the portraits themselves. Painted in warm browns and red tones, the artist brought us the men, women and children of Darfur in images that are larger than life and demanding of our attention.

While waiting for the child poet who would read some of her poetry, I started to talk to people in the room whose faces resembled the men and women in those paintings. Fatima Haroum stood out; her small round pretty face surrounded by a gauzy white veil. She explained that she was a social worker now in Philadelphia, but I could tell by the passion in her words that she was disgusted and saddened by the situation in Darfur."They’re ignorant”, she said, speaking of the janjawee. “They are not good people”. The situation must be unbearable for her, I thought, and I felt the urgency of her words. Also present were doctors from Doctors without Borders, who see first-hand the casualties of rape and brutality.. Dr. Dinar, the President of Darfur Alert Coalition (DAC) was most eloquent in his words this evening. He was impressed with the mix of people in the room and declared that the movement to help Darfur reached across religious and racial lines. I was also impressed with Alan Butkowitz, the city controller. No treacle political speeches from him. He acknowledged that Philadelphia is doing its part by urging the city to divest from funds that support the Sudanese government. Right on, Mr. Butkowitz! Jim Remsen talked about the Solar Cooker Project, which I think MANY people should be able to support without breaking the bank.. For only thirty dollars, two aluminum clad cardboard cookers would be assembled in Darfur for women in the refugee camps. This way, they would not have to forage in the desert and leave themselves vulnerable to wandering militia. A truly worthy donation.

Dr. Deborah Krupp, from the Barnes Foundation titled her presentation, “Art as a Tool for Social Action.” In the few minutes that she spoke, she gave us a mini lesson on the use of imagery as a powerful tool for social injustice. Just as Picasso’s “Guernica” touched a generation of Spaniards, Deborah’s portraits grab our attention and keep us riveted. The faces in the paintings are viewing us as much as we are viewing them. We can’t turn away from their gaze.

I was so touched by little Emtithal Mamoud. She is a seventh grader at Masterman Demonstration School, the same school as my son. Her face is one of the works of art in this collection by Debra. Across the canvas with her portrait, are her beautiful words and poetry. Clearly, only a child with words of optimism and innocence, like Anne Frank , can ask us to help those who have no voice to be heard.


“people are broken in a nation-
orphans make up this population.”


I was truly touched by this young lady’s words, just as Debra was by this intelligent young person. When Ms. Kapnek first heard Brian Seidle’s military report on Darfur in 2005 ,Debra knew that she had to do something . After seeing a film at Sundance, “The Devil Came on Horseback,” Debra decided that she could do something using the only tools that she had to help those who are powerless; her paint and her brushes and her compassion for a people who are suffering.

BB @ The Q