Canadian artist Ola Volo lends support to National Newspaper Week campaign
Ola Volo recalls newspapers playing an important role in her family’s life when they first immigrated to Canada.
“Now more than ever, we need to acknowledge and celebrate newspapers and the work they do to provide us with credible information, and I think that National Newspaper Week is a great opportunity to do that,” says Volo, whose mural work can be spotted in cities such as Vancouver, Montreal, and Los Angeles. “I hope people can relate to the artwork and be curious to learn more about the importance of newspapers.”
Titled “Champions”, the print features three people who represent “readers and journalists” standing in front of a flag. Decorating the flag are natural landmarks from across Canada including mountains, trees and the ocean, designed to signify the “diversity of people, places, and perspectives in Canada.”
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of each print will be donated to Canadian Journalists for Free Expression, an organization with the mission “to defend the rights of journalists and contribute to the development of press freedom throughout the world,” according to a news release.
“My artwork, Champions, was inspired by conversations I had with representatives from local newspapers across the country,” Volo explains of the piece. “I was able to hear from them first-hand just how important local reporting is and the ability of newspapers to keep communities informed especially during the past few years.”
The signed 20 x 19.5-inch print, which is also available as a soft-cover journal, has been dubbed the “hero item” in latest Champion The Truth collection. With the campaign, Volo says she hopes people will feel connected to her artwork — while also feeling more connected to the country’s printed news publications.
“National Newspaper Week is a chance to celebrate the essential service newspapers provide and their ability to spark important conversations from coast to coast,” Volo says. “I hope that when readers see my artwork, they feel empowered by the subject of news and are curious to look closer at the art to understand it better.”
