New Art Exhibition Puts a Human Face on Huntsville’s Food Insecurity

A powerful new art exhibition opening in Huntsville this week is asking the community to look beyond statistics and see the human stories behind rising local food bank use and housing uncertainty

In a time when headlines and data points often dominate the conversation surrounding housing affordability, poverty, and food insecurity, a new exhibition in Muskoka is offering a stark, deeply personal reminder of what is truly at stake: our neighbours.

Opening Wednesday evening at The Table Art Gallery & Hub on Cann Street in Huntsville, FACE TO FACE is a compelling body of work created by local artist Marinus (Mark) Boekelman. The exhibition features 46 raw, expressive portraits of individuals directly connected to local support systems—including guests of the local Food Bank, patrons of the Men’s Hostel, and the dedicated volunteers who show up every day to help.

For Boekelman, the collection is a direct response to a growing crisis happening right in our own backyard. Across the region, food banks and community service organizations have reported steady increases in usage as more residents grapple with rising living costs, housing instability, and food insecurity. Yet, as numbers climb, it can be easy for broader public discourse to reduce human lives to simple figures on a spreadsheet.

FACE TO FACE deliberately disrupts that disconnect. By placing these 46 portraits side by side, the exhibition creates an intimate space where viewers are challenged to look directly into the eyes of community members they might otherwise pass on the street. Each portrait serves as a poignant testament to dignity, struggle, resilience, and humanity, reinforcing the truth that no one is defined solely by their circumstances. They are parents, friends, workers, and neighbours—people with rich histories and valid hopes for the future.

The host venue, The Table Art Gallery & Hub, serves as an ideal backdrop for this conversation, hosting Boekelman’s work that aligns directly with their mission to foster empathy, understanding, and actionable local support.

The opening reception takes place on Wednesday, September 9, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at 12 Cann Street. Members of the public are invited to attend, view the collection in person, and meet the artist. The exhibition will remain on display through September 24.