Seeing Peace Letters of Support

May 7, 2002

Dear Mr. Kamler:

On behalf of President Vaclav Havel, I would like to thank you for your letter dated 8 April 2002, inviting the President to support "Seeing Peace," and requesting a meeting with the president.

As you know, President Havel is, from personal experience, deeply aware of the influence art and artists can have on political matters. The President was honored that you included him in your brochure for "Seeing Peace," and he applauds your effort to promote dialogue between artists and politicians. The President is pleased to offer you his moral support. However, I regret to inform you that the President will be unable to accept your kind offer for a meeting in May or June. Unfortunately, due to his many duties as Head of State, his calendar is quite full.

Thank you once again for your letter and the information you enclosed - both about "Seeing Peace" and your personal artwork. I wish you success and happiness in all your endeavors.

Sincerely yours,

Pavel Fisher, Director
Political Department
Office of the President
Czech Republic

March 25, 2002

To Whom It May Concern:

I have known Richards Kamler's work for many years and have been astonished by the power and force of meaning of it, especially his prison series. Richard Kamler is a truly innovative artist who is dedicated to the use of art as an agent for social change. He also has the ability, motivation, and the track record, to bring challenging and difficult projects to completion.

Kamler's current project, Seeing Peace, will be an important paradigm for the discourse and action toward peace. It is an unique contribution to the crucial role art can play in the survival of our culture.

Sincerely,

Peter Selz
Professor Emeritus of Modern Art
University of California, Berkeley

May 20, 2002

To Whom It May Concern:

As president of the University of San Francisco, I am writing in strong support of Professor Richard Kamler's "Seeing Peace" proposal.

Professor Kamler has been a faculty member at the University of San Francisco since 1999, and during that time we have come to appreciate not only his fine teaching and superb studio work, but also his profound commitment to the values of social justice that are at the core of USF's educational mission. Kamler's Arts Outreach program has taken more than one hundred of our students into the community to make art alongside underserved members of our diverse urban population, and the results, both for our students and for those with whom they work, have been spectacular learning and artistic experiences.

Kamler has actively and continuously engaged the larger Bay Area community with his cutting edge installations and the useful and moving discussions he structures around them. These installations have truly brought "the artist to the table," and have contributed greatly to important dialogues between the academy and the community in which it is grounded, between art and society. I have every confidence that the proposed "Seeing Peace" work at the United Nations will fulfill the same objectives, only on a more global scale.

The University of of San Francisco is proud to have Professor Kamler as a distinguished member of its faculty, and I urge you to extend to him every assistance in the most worthy endeavor.

Sincerely,

Stephen A. Privett, S.J.
President
University of San Francisco

February 8, 2002

To Whom It May Concern:

This letter is written to support Richard Kamler's proposal, "Seeing Peace; Artists in Collaboration with the United Nations."

I have worked closely with Richard for several years on the development of an important aspect of a new curriculum at the San Francisco Art Institute, "The Artist as Citizen." His involvement in this particular project has afforded me the opportunity to witness and to understand his commitment and passion for creatively developing venues which expose important provocative social issues to a broader audience. His work is approached with the goal of stimulating interest among the society in general and ultimately generating an atmosphere which would encourage change.

Richard's research skills and his intellectual focus supports his exceptional ability to accomplish complex projects under extreme financial pressures and time constraints. He is, indeed, something of a wizard in producing meaningful, multi-faceted and poignant work. His long term commitment to art as an active vehicle for engagement with social issues is central to each of his projects, providing accessibility to not only students of art, but to a wide public audience as well. His work is not only an attempt to redefine established aesthetic notions but, perhaps most importantly, reflects a concerted effort to utilize a wide variety of media to present issues with serious content and meaning. His work is moving, powerful and provocative, yet sensitive and fine tuned in each detail.

My personal experience in working with him has given me the opportunity to more clearly understand the power of art as a vehicle for social change. I believe "Seeing Peace" represents a major step in his long range artistic vision and that it a timely comment on an issue of great concern to all of us.

I urge you to support Seeing Peace.

Sincerely,

Larry Thomas
Dean of Academic Affairs
San Francisco Art Institute

February 20, 2003

Dear Mr. Kamler:

You present a most interesting idea in your proposal "Seeing Peace." I have long been interested in the promise of the artist and the need for imagination and vision to be an integral part of our national and international affairs.

Artists and writers are, in many ways, the social conscience of our times. They suggest a salvation of the world that lies within the human heart, in the human search for authenticity and in the power to transform through thee active use of the imagination.

I commend you for seeing the possibilities created by including our creative community into the deep fabric of our lives, and wish you every sucess in your endeavor.

Sincerely,

Tom Lantos
Member of Congress