Lorraine Bonner

Lorraine Bonner

Lorraine Bonner was born into trauma, and to survive she sacrificed her heart and strengthened her mind. Her mind carried her through education and work, and then, halfway through her life, clay slipped into her hands and began to reawaken her heart. Her biography begins anew each day.

Blinded By White: A head and torso of multi-hued clay, the eyes whited out, and a cage containing a black bird on the chest.

I believe in balance. I believe in the African concept of Ubuntu, which means “I am because we are.” I believe in an ecological network of “we,” in which I am a node between the collaborative project which is my body and the collaboration which is our culture and community, as well as the network of all our relations: the animals and plants, the insects, birds and fish; the intricate patterns created by the earth and sky and water which are our parents; the consciousness which pervades creation, our grandparents, the bright stars and dark endless cosmos, all breathing in perfect rhythm.

I am because all of this Is.

In this time of enormous imbalance, my statement, my goal, my yearning is to bring forth art that makes clear the imbalance and strengthens us all in the service of Ubuntu.