The Global Supper: Venice

“It takes a global effort to save hundreds of thousands of lives each year, malnourishment, due to lack of resources and environmental disaster and wars. It is up to us to start in our immediate circle to make things happen, and I want to bring awareness and engagement to this worldwide problem. Over 800 million people go to bed hungry and almost half of the children deaths are due to malnutrition and famine. ” — Lilli

The Dinner Table:

Several long dining tables (configurations vary site specific) draped in velvet purple set the stage for a large global dinner setting. Each country is represented taking a seat at the table with one unique place setting. (to date 199 countries of the world). Each place-setting consists of a hand-painted one of a kind dinner plate, ornate with an Olive branch for peace; a wine glass filled with red wine, the level referring to each country’s GDP. The plate and wine glass sit on a hem-stitched white linen place mat with an emblem representing each country and an outline of each country hand stitched onto the place mat.

Humanity is served on each plate in the form of a denim face mask stretched over the dinner plate (denim, representing the working class), each with a different word describing Humanity embroidered onto them. The seating order and all masks are being placed random for all to be equal at the table. A table card will contrast the countries by population, environment, hunger and other statistics.

This exhibition serves a timeless symbol of peace, invoking dialog and opening hearts and minds to empower and inspire; a contemplation to work together in solidarity; a future vision we need to achieve, to find workable solutions for peace, sustainability and healing of our planet, individually, globally, environmentally and economically.

As we are experiencing violent attacks on democracies, humanity and freedom around the world, the urgency demands for every country to take a seat at the table serving humanity.

The inspiration for this piece is in response to wars, global diaspora, environmental disasters, hunger and an ever increasing refugee crisis, triggered by worldwide inequality, climate change and the accelerating speed of exploitation of people, land and the planet as a whole. The objective is to unite and invite the public to this dinner table. With this unifying experience I open a dialog, hoping to inspire and collectively create workable solutions to build a better world.

“I believe that environments activated by the arts by producing large-scale art projects with sensitivity and equitability that reflect the value of its citizens, create empowered people and communities. My work explores the dynamics of the human condition, while addressing the motives behind our actions, emotions, movements and societal issues. Getting people engaged and experiencing the art physically offers a different awareness and a better understanding while mirroring their own life experiences. It’s no longer simply about the artwork itself, but the personal impact it has on each individual, and any further change it causes. This inspires me to continue making art with the people, for the people and about the people.”

We Are Humanity.