If one believes, as the great French poet Charles Baudelaire claims, “Genius is no more than childhood recaptured at will,” then we have an obligation to provide our children with an authentic childhood. A childhood that allows time and opportunity— away from the stresses of school, poverty, politics and the other troubles of the adult world— to live in the world of art and imagination- to lay the foundation of genius.
Nicolina with Lower Eastside Girls Club members
About Hearts of The World:
Developed by artist, Nicolina, Hearts of the World is an ongoing collaborative art project involving children from all over the globe. The project launched with the L.E.S. Girls Club march, 2010 and has most recently traveled to Japan, China, and Mexico. In 2011 the project will continue on to 8 new countries.
Each child is given a panel with an outline of an anatomical heart and are encouraged to fill it in with whatever they feel is inside their own -- with things that they love, their passions and dreams for life. Participants work with Nicolina, and are encouraged to articulate their innermost feelings when filling in their paintings, using content, form and color to reflect their culture as well as their own unique vision. After 12 countries are complete the hearts will come together to create several large multi-paneled pieces, which will be displayed in public locations worldwide. At this point a calendar depicting 12 hearts from children of 12 countries will be created as a fund raising tool to help push the project further. The project will continue to travel the world focusing on diverse culture groups and more large-scale pieces containing the hearts of the world will be made and installed around the world.
About the artist:
Born in Seattle, Nicolina has been making public art in NYC since 2002. Her colorful murals, window painting and guerrilla street art are visible throughout Manhattan, especially on the Lower East Side. You can also find her work in a permanent installation in Grand Central Station, painted on pedicabs throughout Central Park, and around the world in Japan, India, China, Mexico, Toronto, Seattle, and Los Angeles. Her studio art includes mixed media works, and group painting projects. An ongoing theme in her work is the use of anatomical hearts, recently used in the Body Shop's Love Cube promotion for which she did live painting in Toronto, Philadelphia, and NYC. Nicolina also founded the Free Arts Society, a non-profit, collaborative, artist alliance dedicated to cultivating a creative community that brings art directly to the public -- and knows no bounds.
Watch the Video:
Chiapas, Mexico
Club Na Balom
“Frozen Silence”
Ixtzel, age 13
Featured artist statement: “It's called Frozen Silence, and it's about how my heart is closed, nothing can enter or leave it, there's a storm in the sea and I am a puppet of myself, in the long run every decision is erroneous, it is poetry without end.”
Chiba, Japan
Zoukei School
“America Holds Japan”
Akio, age 12
Featured artist Statement: “My heart is called “America Holds Japan.” It contains Mt. Fuji, a peaceful ninja sword, and the Japanese Flag.”
Zhuhai, China
Fountain School
Moon, age 9
Featured artist statement: “The way I would like the future to be.”
Beijing, China
Bethel, orphanage for blind children
Mickeal, 10 years old,
born blind.
Featured artist Mickeal started by painting a blue sky in his heart and then asked for black paint. He proceeded to paint over the blue sky and to paint everything black. When asked what he painted he said he painted the darkness. He said “The darkness is beautiful, there are many color-lights in the darkness. All colors--- it is very beautiful.”
Manhattan, New York
Lower East Side Girls Club
Sarah, age 7
Artist Statement: “I painted the sun because it gives us a light to see where were going and if it is cold it can let us be hot.”
