Wishes for the Planet

Public participation project for the Vanishing Ice Exhibition

Whatcom Museum, November 3, 2013 - March 16, 2014

In Japan, there are many stone statues on the streets wearing bibs cared for by the community. These Bodhisattvas (protectors of the Buddhist faith) are called Jizo and function as children’s guardians.

In keeping with this tradition, I chose to use bibs for this collaborative installation. Why use bibs? Bibs are for babies. We should protect and keep the environment healthy like we do our babies. Bibs become a metaphor for how we should treat our environment.

It is not my intention to follow the Japanese tradition literally, but to find a way through my own culture to connect and establish links to the Western world. The bibs are envisioned as Bellingham’s prayer flags. Museum visitors were invited to write their response to the exhibition or any concerns about climate change and our planet. The bibs were then tied on the inside or outside of the museum courtyard fence.