Totems of Life
Suly Bornstein-Wolff
Proposal for Art Laguna 2021
As a concerned human being I weep
for the suffering of the victims and families of the
Covid-19. The "corona" harms anyone regardless their religion, gender,
or geographical locations. The pain of death is so noticeable and suddenly
takes on a different meaning than anything we have ever experienced. Global
suffering, the spreading poverty, and the afflicted economy, leads the entire
populations to despair and helplessness. As an artist, who clings to the
never-ending and challenging work per se, I feel it is time to do an act that
is small but meaningful.
Therefore, at the Art Laguna
exhibition 2021, I would like to build few large 3 dimensional object/totems
that will rise to a height of about 3 meters (one can be suspended from the celling
downward). The diameter of each totem can range from 30 cm to 80 cm. through
each totem there will be a pipe of light. Each Totem is built of about 20
layers of round surfaces that are made from Plexiglas and on each of them – will
be inserted dozens of small, colorful glass hearts and other various glass
shapes. The number of hearts and small shapes will exceed at least ten thousand
for each totem and will be a symbol for the victims of the Covid-19. The glass pieces
will come from different parts of the world, glass from Jericho, Turkey, Czechoslovakia,
Greece and more
Few thousands will be made of Murano
glass – which I will create and produce with local masters at the island. I
would like to help people from the affected local area of Venice, and work with
them. When the installation hangs on display, I intend, to offer visitors of
the exhibition to buy a small souvenir heart (there will be an automatic sales machine
where one can drop a coin and one heart will come out as a souvenir). The total
collected amount that will accumulate during the entire exhibition time will be
donated to charities and to the victims of Covid-19 in Italy.
By this act I consider you as a
partner in giving hope and beauty to others and to remember always through the
heart the gift of life.