FEW WORDS ABOUT OUR PROJECT 2021 YOGA FOR HUMANITY CHARITY CALENDAR
“Robert Sturman Captures The Essence of Our Humanity.”
Indeed that is the case with this composition by Robert Sturman. If the man holding the camera is a storyteller, then this esteemed photographer is a master creator.
In the midst of a global pandemic we can all express some gratitude for our humanity. Compassion starts with ourselves and the community we know to be family. In the spirit of giving back we are grateful and honoured to have Robert share his artistry with us, and in collaboration have created the Yoga for Humanity 2021 Charity Calendar. Experience the global connection of yoga in these striking photographs that highlight the serenity of stillness within the hustle, bustle, and grit of modern living. Dedicated yoga practitioner and photographer Robert Sturman captures everyday people and yogis from around the world in dynamic moments of this ancient practice. Through his images, he strives to encourage all of us — at any time and in any place — to experience the timeless grace and embodied mindfulness of yoga. We, at Sweat Equity Magazine have felt a particular alignment with The Frontline Fund (www.frontlinefund.ca) and will be donating all of our proceeds from the 2021 Yoga for Humanity Calendar to this great cause. The Frontline Fund was created in support of frontline healthcare workers. As Canadians, we owe the health care professionals who protect our communities a debt of gratitude and this is our way of pledging our continued support in the battle against COVID-19.
We are grateful and honoured to have Robert share his artistry with us, and in that giving, we will give back.
Purchase Calendar Click here
Support a local Charity:
While Sweat Equity Magazine is choosing to support the Frontline Fund with all sales from single or gift sets of the Yoga for Humanity Calendars, we have also created wholesale box sets of 35 that are intended to be used for custom fundraising purposes. Your organization can use the calendars to fundraise for other charities or meaningful causes.
Join our fundraising efforts and fundraise for a charity that is close to your heart:
Looking for a way to support a great cause, raise money for a charity that is close to your heart, or fundraise for a charitable foundation that is meaningful to your company or community? The Yoga for Humanity 2021 Calendar is an easy way to achieve your goals!
See our FUNDRAISING INFO page for more details.
~ Publisher, Fred Antwi
Sweat Equity Magazine
(www.sweatequitymagazine.com)
IN SUPPORT OF
ABOUT ROBERT STURMAN
Robert Sturman has made it his mission to travel throughout the world, using yoga as the foundation upon which to tell the story of “humanity’s longing to reach our full potential.” This mission has taken him across countries and nations, inside prisons, and across the heart of Africa, along the foothills of Kilimanjaro, capturing the emotional texture of Cuba and into the bustling streets of Rome, London, and New York. Robert has been snapping shots from the age of 14, when his father dropped him off at boarding school and gave him his first camera. Young Sturman asked his dad what he was supposed to take pictures of; it’s obvious his father’s response directs Sturman’s work even today: “[Take pictures of] anything you love,” his dad said. With love being somewhat of a moving target, holding space in infinite situations and taking shape in innumerable dimensions, so, too, has Sturman’s photography developed alongside the passions and intentions he’s cultivated.
“Little did I know this advice would mark the beginning of a lifelong romance.”
When Robert took his first yoga class at age 18, the marriage of self-destruction and creative brilliance hummed alongside his artistic development. His mentors and heroes in the world of art led lives spotted with struggle and desperation – but that wasn’t to be his story. A moment in Italy made Sturman realize it was his duty to paint a picture of humanity, with all of its textures and complex emotional layers, and that to best fulfill this duty, he’d have to live with dignity and self-respect. Then, yoga stepped up to the plate. “Throughout the entire history of art,” Sturman says, “I have never seen a figure as sincere and filled with heart as the yogi is.” He continues, “The human heart, when truly open, swims freely through all ideological conditioning. Yoga, from my perspective … is an expressive figurative poetry – a language of hope – of reaching towards the light, the heavens, possibility.” Beyond gender and language and time, balanced evenly on both sides of the cultural divide, time and again we see the profound capacity of yoga to transcend all boundaries and tap into the essence of a loosely defined concept of humanity. In no uncertain terms, we are all one. Which brings us here, to the present, in awe of his unique portrayal of asana and prolific blend of his love for the art and deep respect for the practice. We are truly blessed to share with you his masterful collection of work.