“The Somaly Mam Foundation is a nonprofit organization committed to ending modern slavery and empowering its survivors as part of the solution. Human trafficking, a multi-billion dollar industry, is the fastest growing criminal enterprise in the world. With an estimated two million women and children sold into sexual slavery each year, it is a global crisis that must be stopped.
Co-founded by sex slavery survivor Somaly Mam, the Foundation works to eradicate sex slavery, liberate its victims, and empower survivors to create and sustain lives of dignity and as agents of next-generation change. The Foundation supports rescue operations, shelter services, and rehabilitation programs in Southeast Asia, where the trafficking of women and young girls is widespread.
The Somaly Mam Foundation also runs awareness and advocacy campaigns that shed light on the crime of human trafficking, spotlight its brave survivors as living examples of change, and engage the public, business sectors, and governments in the fight to abolish modern slavery.”
the project was well received, the concept well understood. i smile, even now, with delight. as my theory predicted, the experience met with enthusiasm and positivity. people want to connect. and many did. both online and in person.
the box itself was as i imagined. better! it was a work of art in and of itself sitting under the tree on the patio at Social. many thanks to Social for hosting me again this year.
a million thank yous to my collaborators, artist and pal Adam F. Davidson and his enthusiastic father for their work on building the ‘crowd box’. i stayed warm and dry and felt rather cozy inside the box.
i entered at 6:21 and stayed until the rain and late hour chased off the crowd in the courtyard. seven hours inside with a fairly steady stream of visitors all night long.
i managed to create the effect of being visible to onlookers while not being able to see out save for the holes cut in either side. as it was explained that i could not see out i could hear relief and a change in the crowd’s willingness to reach in and touch me.
i was touched. spiritually and physically. nicely always. hand shakes, friendly back pats, and gentle pokes mostly. one pat on the head and poke of my nose. each one made me smile. what i did not expect was the need for people to chat. only a few dared touch me without some sort of verbal interaction first. i had many small philosophical exchanges. this heightened the value of the connections. i felt that people want to make a more significant human connection. the twitter connections for the most part augmented or facilitated the human connection.
i was given a leaf. a Christopher Griffin supernova button which i treasure. and, i was given, very solemnly, an unopened deck of playing cards. the cards are a great souvenir. it was an interesting connection.
the experience was lovely. it is a vision fulfilled. there is deep satisfaction in that. my trust in the crowd was deserved. i would have easily stayed longer. maybe i can do this again in some other crowd. without rain.
many thanks to the other artists and the #NBOG13 organizers. a success despite the rain.
many thanks to my dearest friends who came to stand guard and help in the driving rain for eight hours.
many thanks to CBC and CTV for their coverage of my project.
many thanks to the many ottawans that came out in the serious weather to still make the event happen. you are a great CROWD. i am happy to be among you.
looking forward already to #NBOG14!
feeling very satisfied
heARTbeatgal
p.s. might anyone have an extra copy of the #NBOG13 map? i hunted one down but it ended thoroughly soaked in the rain.
