| 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. |
