One-half of the people in the world (~ 3 billion) live on less that $2.50 per day.  One of every two children, in the world, live in poverty.  640 million children live without adequate shelter and 400 million have no access to safe water.   

This sculpture “Full mouth, Empty mouth” depicts this critical moral and ethical issue and a potential solution.  The majority of us who live in western society have a full mouth and adequate shelter. The tall crossed sticks of this sculpture depict the basic tepee shelter used worldwide for 1000’s of years as it represents our need for adequate shelter.

 

The Chinese character for mouth is 口 (kou) a square. The thick slightly squashed square represents our mouths or口 (kou) which are filled and not empty. We are blessed to have adequate shelter and full mouths.  On the opposite side of the sculpture, and tucked away from our clear view is an empty口 (kou)  mouth representing the hundreds of millions of people who are hungry, do not have adequate shelter and are mostly forgotten.

 

Is there a solution? It is found in the open pinecone between the empty and full mouth.  Inside the pinecone are seeds, seeds of kindness that each of us can sow by helping the hungry, the poor and less fortunate.  Each of these small seeds has the potential of growing into a giant pine tree over 40’ tall and weighing many tons.  Your seemingly small seed of kindness has great potential for good in helping others less fortunate than you. One small kind act can have an immense effect.  It can bring a ray of hope to someone who has no hope.

 

 “He who gives to the poor will never want, but he who shuts his eyes will have many curses.“  Proverbs 28:27 

 

 

Launch Gallery