Drought does not create famine.
Politicians and economists making borders out of razor wire create famine.
Populations of countries that don’t want to know where their wealth comes from, create famine.
Closing our eyes makes it worse, makes it famine.
‘Africa’, oil on panel, 1997-98,
Click on any image for full size.
‘Hungry’, 1.75″ X 1.25″ each piece, soapstone, 2011
In eastern philosophies, spirituality is giving the monk your last bowl of rice so that he can pray for everyone.
In the domesticated west, spirituality is tossing an extra $20 into the collection plate and hope the priest will bless your wallet.
‘Burden’, oil on canvas, 48″ X 60″, 1995
I believe all visual media to be graphic anthropology. Every image has a different meaning to every person that may see it. The artist doesn’t make it art, the viewer does. Any explanation by me just obscures what it means to the viewer.
But I still have plenty to say about the images, from my point of view, but not here.
‘Hunger’, oil on canvas, 72″ X 120″, 1993
‘Hunger’, detail
‘Hunger II’ , oil on canvas, 36″ X 60″, 1993
‘Hunger III’, oil on canvas, 36″ X 60″, 1993
These paintings were in response to the famine/drought in the Horn of Africa in 1992.
‘Stone Hunger’, soapstone, 2.5″ X 1.25″, 2011
There are now many of these ‘stone hungers’, made this year, as I watched the same thing happening again. I had always hoped my grandchildren wouldn’t see the world like this.
‘Greed Hunger Misery’, 2011, oil on canvas, 36″X60″
Graham Houston Arts 