Hello, Thank you so much for your generous support for my Lanterns for Peace project.
This project was a terrific success and far exceeded my expectations. I was deeply moved by the public’s response to the installation and awed by their thoughtful and varied written responses on the lanterns. The atmosphere created by the installation was uniquely magical, quieting, and community-building. Many visitors shared how much the show touched them, some to tears, and others were simply grateful. The only challenges were expected:
Perhaps one of the most memorable responses to this installation was by a young girl who happened upon the work as she was walking down the street. At Five Myles Gallery in Brooklyn, the work was installed at street level so people encountered it unintentionally. It was an early evening in late February. She took her time walking in and amongst the lanterns, reading peoples’ responses. When she was finished, she came up to me with tears in her eyes saying, “This is exactly what I needed.” She shared that in the current chilling political climate, what she needed was a little light, some hope. This was exactly why I made this installation. Thousands saw this event in five different locations and over 20,000 people saw it at FIGMENT on governor’s Island in NYNY. It may be traveling to TAOS, NM in November too.
Jessica Maffia
