| The E.Y.E. Foundation takes to the road with the "Talking Walls"
exhibit. The exhibit is an ongoing project of The E.Y.E. Foundation
and tours communities throughout Maine. Foundation president Michael
J. Fiori stated that he believes, "this exhibit is an excellent
opportunity for people of all ages, including families, schools, social
clubs, civic organizations and many other groups, to come together in a
community forum to facilitate freeing ourselves from our own
barriers.
The exhibit's global focus
reminds us of the importance of a cultural diversity, creating a curiosity
far beyond Maine. The intriguing stories and vibrant pastel paintings make
the walls come alive. They speak to us of the people who erected,
lived within and around these walls. The purpose of each wall becomes
clearer as we connect the stories with faces, places and the meaning
behind each wall. We are compelled to reflect on a quote from poet
Robert Frost . . . "Before I built a wall I'd ask to know what I was
walling in or walling out . . ." and in so doing discover important truths
about these walls of the
world. |
Maine Artist Anne Sibley O'Brien created thirty-five paintings to
be used for the books of children's author Margy Burns Knight. In Ms.
Knight's two books, Talking Walls (1992) and Talking Walls: The Stories
continue (1996). In Their books the author and artist used walls as
symbols to break down cultural barriers between nations. In these books,
children read stories and see paintings of the fascinating walls of
the world, from the Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall in Washington, D.C. to
Hadrian's Wall in England and the Prayer Wheel Walls in Tibet and
India. If the walls of the world could talk, they would tell us what
decorative, political, religious, historical, and restrictive purposes
they serve. The Talking Walls Exhibit does all that and gives us a
valuable learning experience that can be built upon throughout
life.
The author and illustrator together have stated, "All over the world, every hour of the day, there are people of all ages, races, and creeds working hard to create a world with walls that hurt people." Their exploration in stories and paintings, of tolerance, compassion, and belonging earned Knight and O'Brien a 1997 National Education Association's Author-Illustrator Human and Civil Rights Award. |
