David Kracov’s breathtaking sculpture entitled The Book of Life will really give you butterflies.
The metal sculpture, which stands at around half a metre tall, is a tribute to the extraordinary life of Rabbi Yossi Raichik, director of Charbad’s Children of Chernobyl organisation.
Each of the hand-painted butterflies represents the 2547 children that escaped Chernobyl’s nuclear disaster and, with the help of the charity, have been given a chance at a new life.
Butterflies are a prominent feature in Kracov’s work who believes they represent ‘the delicacy and value of a child’s life’.
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"The pages of this Book are filled with poems, excerpts of diaries, and songs, written by children who died at Auschwitz, with the main poem being “The Butterfly”, by Pavel Friedmann, who was 13 years old when he wrote the poem," the artist told Huffington Post UK.
The Butterfly
The last, the very last,
So richly, brightly, dazzlingly yellow
Perhaps if the sun’s tears would sing
against a white stone…
Such, such a yellow
Is carried lightly ‘way up high.
It went away I’m sure because it wished to
kiss the world goodbye.
For seven weeks I’ve lived in here,
Penned up inside this ghetto
But I have found my people here.
The dandelions call to me
And the white chestnut candles in the court.
Only I never saw another butterfly.
That butterfly was the last one.
Butterflies don’t live in here,
In the ghetto.
His work, which can be seen around the world from Florida to Tel Aviv, has raised money and helped increased awareness for several charities.
We think that the colour and movement in Kracov’s creations capture the fleeting nature of childhood and serve as an excellent reminder of our responsibility to protect the innocent children in our care. What do you think?