LITTLE BUDDHA PROJECT
A few years ago, I made 10,000 miniature ceramic Buddhas and placed them in public spaces as small gifts for strangers. This was intended to disrupt the monotony of people mindlessly moving from one place to another, and bring their attention to the moment of finding a small mysterious object. Why meditating Buddha? Because it’s a reminder of the importance of being awake and being present in the moment.
For those who discovered the Buddha, there was an immediate question: “What’s this and who placed it here?” followed by a dilemma: “Should I take it or leave it?”
I loved creating this small disruption and mystery for the strangers. I also enjoyed placing them in public spaces. Upon placing the tiny Buddhas, the objects underneath and the surrounding spaces changed immediately because of the shift in scale, and because the Buddha was now a figure sitting on top of the objects, where the objects themselves became enormous spaces or strange and fantastical architectural structures. I realized the tiny Buddhas brought new life to the objects and spaces, and made me look at these dull everyday things and places in a completely new way. Suddenly they seemed fascinating as if I were looking at them for the very first time in my life.
