Choosing/making this as the foundation for our project was intentional. About a dozen talented artists from across the world are coming together to create this piece which we simply call FOE 13 (Freedom Of Expression 2013). We have no pattern to follow, no design to guide us, no blueprint, just our individuality and creativity. Ideas could be from anywhere - sky, earth or sea.
From the daily madness around us, it would appear that intentions and ambitions are being fueled by hatred and misunderstandings. There seem to be great awareness of how different we are in every way conceivable - religion, race, class, beliefs, life choices, demographic location etc. And sadly, the strong attachment to how different we are, and especially to the belief that we/our ways are right and everyone else's is wrong only seems to tear us apart.
The FOE project is a celebration of our differences, but with it is also a healthy dose of respect and acceptance to our differences. It IS OK to be different. It is OK to hold unto your ideals and hopes and passion and such, but in order to rise to greatness, tolerance is necessary; it is important to respect the next person's individuality and difference too, and we intend to show that this is possible by this artistic OOAK piece we are about to create.
Having no idea precisely what the finished piece would look like or even be, we are depending on our individual sense of tolerance of each other's differences and individuality. The item is now on its way to Europe where it will travel from one country to the next, to be worked on by the various artists participating in this project, then forwarded down under and beyond.....
Each person can only decide what they will add to it after they receive it and see what additional work has been made. Tolerance of the previous artists' contribution is paramount. Acceptance of their contribution will be the guiding force to make us all know how, when and where to add to it and pass it forward. No one's contribution is necessarily better or worse, it is only different. And this difference and individuality is what will come together to create the piece we are projecting.
I have no doubt that the finished item will be a testimony of what tolerance, acceptance and individuality can achieve if/when we are willing to work together. FOE 13 is on its way to an interesting journey, to conjure the imagination, creativity and individuality of Artists from different walks of life, taking with it a little bit of them. Stay with us as we chronicle this journey.....and more so as we feature each artist on this very blog.
