Today is September 11, 2021, and while it almost seems sacrilegious to write any sort of sculpting blog on the 20th anniversary of the desecration of the Twin Towers, what I can express is my appreciation for the Shutterstock artist who was able to create a flag pattern on the hands of a young woman that forms a heart around the memory of our 9/11 tragedy. I'll never know who the artist is, but I appreciate the heartfelt reflection that engenders a sense of respect, care, and concern not only for those whose lives were lost and their families, but also for the helpers, to whom we owe our unending gratitude as they ran toward danger in order to save lives as the Twin Towers fell.
As I look at the image, while I'm first reminded of the September 11th tragedy, I also associate how the above image is flipped from my own branding image of upright hands creating. I'm struck by how we must make a conscious choice as to how we use our hands--for the creation of beauty and of love, for giving a helping hand, or for fighting with fists, and creating destruction, hurt, and hatred.
One of my favorite sculptors on Instagram, for whom I have a great deal of respect, is Mario Chiodo, Although I don't know him personally, aside from his exceptional technical skill, his work depicts a high level of sensitivity toward emotional depths of the human experience that few artists are able to acknowledge or perceive, let alone capture and portray. Mr. Chiodo posted some twenty year old 9/11 monument sculptures today that are definitely worth a look and his posting of an agonized and exhausted 9/11 fireman is breathtaking. If you enjoy sculpture and aren't following him, you're definitely missing out, for it seems to me that he follows the better angels of his nature.
So I'll leave you today with creative hands looking up on this most difficult day, reminding us of the choice we can make to create beauty in the world and to share our creativity with others.
