Art helps hungry families through 'Canstruction'

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Local architects, engineers, students  and community members are using art to help hungry families eat over the holidays.

This is all part of "Canstruction," a project partnership with the Taubman Museum  of Art in Roanoke, Feeding America Southwest Virginia and other organizations.

Teams had 12 hours on Thursday to build sculptures out of canned food. Each team was required to raise money  or get donations for cans of food.

The "Canstruction" couldn't be larger than 10’W x 10’L x 8’H. Cans had to be structurally self-supporting, and teams couldn't use glue to alter cans or deface labels.

Only five team members were allowed to build  the sculpture at any one time.

It took about 35,000 cans to create this exhibit. That's almost 35,000 meals that can help hungry families .

The exhibit is open for the next two weeks. On Friday, November 7 at 5:30, the public is invited to a free opening reception.

Visitors can either bring one can or $1 for each vote, for their favorite can sculpture. The judge's awards  will be presented around 6 p.m. People's Choice will be announced at 7 p.m.

Feeding America SWVA will have collection bins located inside the Taubman Museum to accept donations of canned food  throughout the entire two weeks of the exhibit.

Click here to view the video of the artwork.