By Carole Feuerman
Quan by Carole Feuerman
Art has taken me to many countries around the world. On any given day, I am standing in front of an audience of leaders. I also discuss the construction of my artwork with a viewer just walking by my sculpture. Working as an artist has brought me into contact with people who share both similar and different beliefs. It has introduced me to a vast range of perceptions, and ideas. I have profoundly been affected by participating in these local and global exchanges. They drive me to create art that touches people emotionally.
One of the great challenges facing us today is that we often feel powerless. We struggle when it comes to helping others. We also face difficulties in solving problems. We feel disconnected and incapable of changing world issues, but we must not be quiet. Only through letting our voices be heard can we have a say in shaping our world.
We face a great challenge today. We often feel powerless in helping others. This feeling extends to solving problems. We feel incapable of changing world issues, but we must not be quiet. Only through letting our voices be heard can we shape the world. Only through letting our voices be heard can we shape the world.
Survival of Serena by Carole Feuerman
There are many artists who used their art to make change. Some of these artists' works be familiar to you, like Picasso. Others, whom you not know, have used diverse ways of communicating their perceptions. “Guernica” symbolizes Picasso’s moving anti-war testimonial. This large-scale painting conveys the chaos and torment of war.
The Chinese artist, Ai Weiwei, created his works under a repressive regime. He made a temporary studio on the Greek Island of Lesbos. His goal was to bring attention to the plight of the millions of immigrants trying to enter Europe. He famously said,
“There’s no refugee crisis, but only a human crisis”. He posted images on social media of a helpless toddler being washed ashore. He laid his own body down to be photographed. He said that each human life is of equal importance. His photos shocked the world, making people aware of these human tragedies. He is an artist who is effecting change.
The Guerrilla Girls are an anonymous feminist activist group. They exemplify how artists focus on issues to expose gender and ethnic bias. They also reveal corruption in politics. It isn't necessary for any of them to know how to draw. Instead, they find original ways to convey powerful political messages and show their messages in public forums. They wear gorilla masks and use facts, humor, and outrageous visuals. They have made more than a hundred street projects from billboards to performance art demonstrations. They are most famous for circulating a poster that said:
“DO WOMEN have to get naked to have a show at the Met?"
You can also change the world by doing one small thing when you have time. You don't have to do much, the point is-- that you do something! Even a small thing makes a difference. If each one of us did one positive thing, the world would be a better place. Speak up, sign petitions, write letters or sit down with someone who has the power to change things.
Most of us know the feeling of being moved by a work of art. It is a painting or a sculpture. It is a song, a poem, a play, or a dance. When we are moved, we are touched; and then we are transported to a new place. We become aware of things that earlier were unfamiliar to us, situations that we didn’t focus on before. I believe that this is one of the major responsibilities of artists, -- to make people feel and become aware.
Maya Angelou, civil rights activist and trailblazing director, was a recipient of over 50 honorary degrees. She was also an educator. This poet had an incredible impact on society, especially within the world of poetry.
She was the first African American woman to write a script that was made into a Hollywood movie. She was also the first female poet to read a poem at a President's inauguration. Additionally, she was the first female African American to be a cable car conductor.
Her writing tackled race, gender and life. Her poem 'Still I Rise’ carries a powerful message of resilience. This message of strength is still relevant today.
'Imagine' by John Lennon: The ex-Beatle was in his political phase. His hit song encouraged humanity to live peacefully as one group. Its message only became more touching after Lennon's shocking murder in 1980. Today, it continues to be the go-to song for moments of strife and tragedy.
When we think of leaders who make a difference, we not think of artists, poets, or songwriters as leaders. But, they have shaped cities and communities. They influence people's feelings for hundreds of years. I started making art when I was six years old. My art has shown me another way to communicate.
In 1979, while I sat at the beach with my three children, I saw a swimmer. She was emerging like a phoenix from the sea with water droplets streaming down her face. This vision took form in the creation of my first swimmer sculpture, which I named ‘Catalina’. She appears to all as a proud survivor, strong and beautiful. A woman who is fearless.
Catalina by Carole Feuerman
In 1981, I was inspired by immigrants that I saw floating from Cuba into Key West. This inspiration led me to make my most iconic swimmer sculpture. It is a contemplative woman resting peacefully on an inflatable tube. This serene and meditative sculpture is called the ‘Survival of Serena’. It was exhibited during the 2005 Venice Biennale in Italy. She was re-named Serenissima after the Island of Venice, the Serene Island.
Survival of Serena in the Venice, by Carole Feuerman
I have used my works to be my voice. Images can speak volumes to people and be very powerful. After 9/11, I turned from my super-realistic figurative art and began making bronze spheres.
Still Standing by Carole Feuerman
In my sculpture ‘Still Standing’, I show that despite the fragmentation and empty areas, we remain one world. These parts represent bombings and violence. Yet, we are still here!
Seen but Not Heard by Carole Feuerman
“Seen but Not Heard” is a sculpture portraying a young girl with her eyes closed and her mouth taped shut. She is bound as if she is not capable of being heard. In front of her is a bowl with no food in it.
It Seems by Carole Feuerman
In ‘It Seems’, we see the plight of too many women. These women are neither allowed to be seen nor heard. They feel like they are wrapped in cellophane and paper like objects to be bought or sold.
Chrysalis & The World by Carole Feuerman
My most recent sculpture, ‘Chrysalis & The World’, I show a woman in meditation, praying for world peace and tolerance. She is seated on top of a polished stainless-steel sphere that shows the world. When the viewer looks into the sphere, they see themselves.
I have participated in Art Biennales all over the world. These fairs join nations together, showing the best of their country’s art. This year, I have the honor of exhibiting 10 of my sculptures during the Venice Biennale in Italy. The show is called Personal Structures, Crossing Borders. This fittingly titled exhibition will be visited by more than ½ a million people. They will come from all over the world. Unfortunately, only 35% of this year’s artists in the exhibition are woman. To date, no major international exhibition of contemporary art has achieved gender parity.
What world do you want to live in?
Can you imagine a world without art, a world without creativity?
Art motivates us to transform our thinking into saying and doing. Art is not an exclusive club. You can join in. It's free. These days, we are focused on achieving materialistic things and making money. Now is the time to focus on making our voices heard.
Each and every one of you can engage in art and claim your place in history. You may not realize it. When you make a souffle or even an omelet, you make creative choices about what to include in your dish. In a way, you have now become an artist.
At this critical juncture, I believe artists have an obligation to speak through our work. You’ve all heard the saying, ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’, but art is even more than that. Art teaches, it heals, and it influences people’s opinions. Art opens cultural borders and helps us get to know each other, transforming our differences.
Contemplation by Carole Feuerman
And why do we love images so much?
One side of the human brain dedicates itself to visual processing. Our love of images lies with our cognitive ability to pay attention. Our encounters with art, and with others over art, can help us to be more tolerant. They allow us to recognize with one another. Encounters with art expand our notions of who we are. They show us that individual engagement in the world has actual consequences.
Ultimately, each of us must keep the courage of our convictions to meet the extraordinary challenges that confront our world. As you saw in my work, it’s about survival, balance, courage and strength. These are the messages that can bring global change. Each of you in this room can appreciate and understand this, and that’s why you are making a difference. That’s why you are here. You are critical to our survival as a global community. We must start now to change the thinking of the past. We should speak about the problems of the current day. We should discuss the infinite possibilities of the future. The moment we find our voice, we are set free!
As you saw in my work, it is about survival, balance, courage and strength. These are the messages that can bring global change. Each of you in this room can appreciate and understand this, and that's why you are making a difference. That's why you are here. They are critical to our survival as a global community.
You must start now to change the thinking of the past, and speak about the problems of the current? And the infinite possibilities of the future. The moment you find your voice, YOU ARE SET FREE!
