In recent months, I have poured my heart into Love & Peace, a global celebration and conversational conduit in the form of large-scale flower sculptures.
One of the most thrilling facets of this creation is witnessing how people from so many diverse backgrounds, each with their own stories, are pulled almost magnetically toward the enormous, bright petals.
As viewers are drawn in by the vibrancy and cheer of these flowers, so, too, are they drawn together as participants in the creation. Art has such a tremendous power to connect us, overcoming every separation and obstacle.
Public art, specifically, has always provided humanity with a direct line through history, allowing us to connect with spirits of past generations. From classic structures like France's Arc de Triomphe and Rome's Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi to Robert Indiana's cherished contemporary LOVE sculptures, art in the open makes statements about the cultural climate that shaped it, capturing the essence of its era while resonating far into the future. Whenever mankind's emotions have proven too immense to be captured in words, our minds and hearts guide our hands so that they may speak for us.
The true beauty of public art rests in how it makes us gain a greater appreciation of our surroundings, gracing us with new perspectives. It is so easy to become detached from your environment in the rush and hurry of modern life, but encounters with art invite you to slow your pace, if only for a minute, to bask in its splendor.
The lens through which you see the world is granted clarity, and all of its colors suddenly seem more vivid. By discovering art in this way, you are reminded that the potential for joy is waiting around every corner and endless fields of beauty are ours.
When an artist's creation is placed outdoors, it gains new life. The walls of museums and galleries are forgotten - the whole world becomes its gallery, and all who pass by are its patrons! They are unified by their appreciation for a few precious moments, brought together by their wonder and the magic of chance.
We create art so that we can share - we cannot touch lives or accomplish great feats in isolation - and the product is a magnificent gift that all own equally. By letting art spring organically from the earth, there is simply no barrier that will prevent it from flourishing, and people of all religions, cultures, demographics, and gender will experience and share the same joy of being alive.