7 moments of development progress — as defined by art
Around the world, there are hundreds if not thousands of art pieces that signify hardship, hope and progress — but their significance may be unknown or unfamiliar. There might even be a sculpture in your multilateral institution or humanitarian aid organization that bears significance to the work you do. Here’s seven to look out for.
By Jenny Lei Ravelo // 12 July 2016The West Village’s Stonewall Inn has become a place of renewed pride in recent weeks. The front of the Manhattan bar serves as a memorial to the 49 people killed in Orlando, Florida, on June 12 in the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. President Barack Obama declared the area surrounding the inn a national monument that he hopes will “tell the story of the struggle for LGBT rights” in the country. Prior to its re-entry into the news, however, you may not have known that in 1969, demonstrations at Stonewall — sparked by a police raid at the inn — were a turning point that led to the emergence of gay rights groups in the United States and other parts of the world. Around the world, there are hundreds if not thousands of such places — as well as art pieces — that signify hardship, hope and progress, but their significance is often unknown. This extends to monuments, sculptures and paintings that can be found in key development hubs. There might even be a few that sit near or within the office of your multilateral institution or humanitarian aid organization that have a rich history and bear significance to the work you do. Here’s seven to look out for: ‘Sightless Among Miracles’ This iconic statue depicts a common sight in many West African countries in the 1970s, where children assisted adults who had lost their sight due to onchocerciasis, or river blindness. Unable to work, infected adults become reliant on their families for support. The statue stands as a reminder of the efforts by different stakeholders to stop the spread of the disease and eventually eliminate it. Life-size versions of it can be found in several locations around the world, including at the front entrance of the World Health Organization's headquarters in Geneva, at the atrium of the World Bank headquarters in Washington, D.C., the Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia, the Royal Institute of the Tropics in Amsterdam, and at the New Jersey headquarters of the pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. Merck committed in 1987 to provide ivermectin — the drug found to be most effective in treating the disease — for free for as long as it is needed. The first, small version of the sculpture was commissioned for the River Blindness Foundation, whose operations were absorbed by the Carter Center in 1996. The sculpture, called Sightless Among Miracles, was created by Alaskan-based artist R.T. “Skip” Wallen. Smallpox monument A few feet away from the river blindness statue across the WHO’s entrance in Geneva is a statue commemorating the large scale efforts by different actors more than 30 years ago leading to the eradication of smallpox. On his knees is a health worker administering a vaccine to a child. There are numerous statues and paintings dedicated to Edward Jenner, the doctor who discovered the vaccine that would save countless people from smallpox, a deadly disease especially among children during the 18th century. But this particular statue is one that “shows the power of international health cooperation to do great and lasting good,” according to WHO Director-General Margaret Chan. The statue was designed and sculpted by Welsh artist Martin Williams. ‘War and Peace’ In 1955, the Brazilian government commissioned painter Candido Portinari, considered one of the country’s greats at the time, to paint murals for the newly built U.N. headquarters in New York. He was given an option to choose from a set of themes; he chose war and peace and worked on the 14-panel murals now on display at the delegates’ entrance of the U.N. General Assembly building. The murals were shipped to the U.N. headquarters and inaugurated in September 1957. But Portinari was unable to secure a U.S. visa because of his left-wing political leanings and wasn’t able to witness the unveiling of his work. He died in 1962, allegedly of lead poisoning from using lead-based paint for the war and peace murals as well as many others. Portinari’s literary inspirations for his work were the Bible — in particular the apocalypse in Revelations — for the war mural, and “The Eumenides,” part of The Oresteia trilogy of ancient Greek playwright Aeschylus, for the peace mural, according to his son, João Portinari. The stone commemorating victims of extreme poverty Most people visiting Paris take a picture by the Eiffel Tower. But just a few feet away rests this commemorative stone, laid in 1987, which proclaims poverty as a human rights violation. More than 100,000 people from different backgrounds came to witness its inauguration at the Trocadero Plaza, which is now Plaza of Human Rights and Liberties. The occasion has led to the recognition of extreme poverty at the United Nations, and was pivotal in General Assembly’s declaration on Oct. 17, 1992, as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. Through the years, the stone has become a symbol of the fight against extreme poverty around the world. Replicas of the stone can be found in numerous cities, including at the foot of the stairway of the Palace of Europe in Strasbourg, France, which houses the Council of Europe; at Palais de Nations in New York; and at the International Labor Office in Geneva. Statue of Europe Located in the garden right outside the library of the European Commission, this sculpture symbolizes the European integration and a quest for peace. The European Union was founded following devastating wars on the continent, particularly World War II. Through the years, it has effected policies aimed at smoothing member states’ transactions on trade, travel and communications, among other goals. The various multicolored hands symbolize the ethnic diversity of union members, while the dove signifies peace. The iconic sculpture is often referred to as the “statue of Europe” and is hoped to demonstrate the Union’s motto: “United in Diversity,” a somber reminder following the British referendum calling for separation from the EU. The sculpture, however, bears another meaning: that one should not be limited with his or her own disability. As proof, the sculpture was pieced together by children who are suffering from visual impairment, under the guidance of French artist Bernard Romain. ‘Broken Chair’ Right across Palais de Nations in Geneva, this wooden, 12-meter tall giant chair is hard to miss — and perhaps that was the idea. The chair is a project of Handicap International co-founder Paul Vermeulen to rally U.N. member states to sign the Ottawa Treaty, aimed at eliminating the use of anti-personnel landmines around the world. The treaty was signed by 122 countries in 1997, but some world players, such as the United States and Russia, haven’t signed. Standing on only three legs, the chair symbolizes the plight of landmine victims who’ve lost parts of their body. It is supposed to serve as a reminder to politicians visiting Geneva of the continuous dangers landmines pose to civilians in many parts of the world. ‘The Petrified’ On top of a hill, just eight minutes away from Palais de Nations in Geneva, is the International Red Cross and Red Crescent museum. But right before the entrance, a group of blindfolded figures with hands tied behind their backs stands in silence. These stone carvings are the work of Carl Bucher, a Swiss sculptor. It was created in 1979, but its depiction of faceless victims of human rights violations is still relevant today. A similar sculpture sits outside the library of the European Court of Human Rights, and another sculpture in a kneeling position is situated in front of Palais Wilson, which houses the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva. The latter is referred to as Bucher’s “Circle of Hope.” Is there a particular piece of artwork at or near your place of work that tells about your development or humanitarian organization’s work? Comment below. Devex Professional Membership means access to the latest buzz, innovations, and lifestyle tips for development, health, sustainability and humanitarian professionals like you. Our mission is to do more good for more people. If you think the right information can make a difference, we invite you to join us by making a small investment in Professional Membership.
The West Village’s Stonewall Inn has become a place of renewed pride in recent weeks. The front of the Manhattan bar serves as a memorial to the 49 people killed in Orlando, Florida, on June 12 in the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. President Barack Obama declared the area surrounding the inn a national monument that he hopes will “tell the story of the struggle for LGBT rights” in the country.
Prior to its re-entry into the news, however, you may not have known that in 1969, demonstrations at Stonewall — sparked by a police raid at the inn — were a turning point that led to the emergence of gay rights groups in the United States and other parts of the world.
Around the world, there are hundreds if not thousands of such places — as well as art pieces — that signify hardship, hope and progress, but their significance is often unknown.
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Jenny Lei Ravelo is a Devex Senior Reporter based in Manila. She covers global health, with a particular focus on the World Health Organization, and other development and humanitarian aid trends in Asia Pacific. Prior to Devex, she wrote for ABS-CBN, one of the largest broadcasting networks in the Philippines, and was a copy editor for various international scientific journals. She received her journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas.