Artist's statement: This installation documents through costume, video and sound The Peace Piece as performed in the spring of 2003. Wearing burkhas printed with UN High Commission on Refugees statistics and images of a baby at full-term, we walked shrouded to represent the nameless/voiceless/faceless who do not normally intersect with our lives. 90% of war casualties are civilians with the vast majority being women and children. The date of March 20th was chosen as it was the first day of spring and Persian New Year. It happened to land on the morning after the US commenced midnight bombing in Iraq. In silent meditation with the intention of peace in each step, beginning at dawn from the War Memorial by the Staten Island Ferry, we walked through our city - by Wall St., in Grand Central Station, traversing 42nd St, Rockefeller Center, Fifth Avenue and into the night ending at Times Square. The Buddhist
offering of metta was key. There is no direct English translation
for this word - it lives somewhere between compassion/empathic friendship/an
offering of well-being. may
you be happy For this installation, the voices offering metta surround the space.
Many thanks to all.
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