A Powerful Piece of Art

Daddima

I came across this , and it’s quite something.

This is what grief is.
A hole ripped through the very fabric of your being.
The hole eventually heals along the jagged edges that remain. It may even shrink in size.
But that hole will always be there.
A piece of you always missing.
For where there is deep grief, there was great love.
Don’t be ashamed of your grief.
Don’t judge it.
Don’t suppress it.
Don’t rush it.
Rather, acknowledge it.
Lean into it.
Listen to it.
Feel it.
Sit with it.
Sit with the pain. And remember the love.
This is where the healing will begin.

The grief is all encompassing in this beautiful piece of art. Brought tears to my eyes.

I usually feel a bit out of step on GN with regard to art as I often hate what everyone else likes and love what everyone else hates. But this is a wonderful piece of art.

To add, Dadimma, your words express grief so well. I’ve befriended my grief. It walks with me

This is a new piece of art to me. It stopped my breath momentarily. It’s 20 months since my lovely husband died. I’m living my new life as well as I can. But there’s a huge gap where he was and I want him to me, the hole in the centre of this image speaks to how I feel - till I have a word with myself and count my many blessings

I think it’s a powerful image illustrating the devastation of loss. A focus for grief. But I’m not sure of my feelings here. Yes I can acknowledge the truth about bereavement it portrays but that awful gut feeling must be very unsettling. I admire the concept but does such a tangible object just encourage that visceral feeling of loss?

I’d not like to dwell on it too long as its so commanding and heart wrenching.

I was shown this picture( in the OP) at a bereavement group I went to. Whilst I thought it a powerful image, and it seemed to help some people, like karmalady, it wasn’t one I wanted to have at the forefront of my mind, nor was the general atmosphere of the group. I prefer to focus on something positive rather than negative. But each to their own. If it helps some, that’s good.

This is another sculpture which resonates; the traveller or emigrant.

karmalady not all successful art is pretty pretty. This sculpture accurately conveys the hollowness of grief.
I agree we may not want to live with it, but it certainly works.

It might be powerful but I hate it. I like to surround myself with happy and optimistic art, we know about that inner hole which can never be filled. What an utterly miserable reminder

I remember reading about this statue after loosing my youngest brother and it explained exactly how I felt.
I think it is a marvellous piece of sculpture and many can relate to it.

I so agree with the poem; the art is how grief feels.
Having lost my younger son, husband and elder sister in the last three years, I know exactly what it is like. The hole is always there, but you get used to it; ambushes by sorrow are less frequent..

That’s really interesting, Scribbles, well done!

It's very emotive. I hadn't seen this work before and was curious enough to do a little internet delving. This site tells the story of the sculpture:
www.relongsculpture.com/what-is-the-statue-of-emptiness.html

I've been to Geneva but never to the Bastion park. I shall make a point of doing so on any future visit.

Granniesunite

I love this. Grief does rip you apart and leaves a hole that never heals. Where did you find it? Is it a painting or sculpture?

It was shared from a Facebook page called Stories Funhouse. One of the comments said it is a sculpture by a parent who lost a child in the Pan Am bombing of 1988

It made tears come into my eyes. I lost my mother some 20 months ago. Although she drove me mad at times, I loved her very much. I remember it took some five years before I could remember my dad without becoming upset. The many ladies on here who have lost their husbands/partners must feel far more grief and I feel for them so much. I know that is the worst thing.

Yes it's very powerful.

I love this. Grief does rip you apart and leaves a hole that never heals. Where did you find it? Is it a painting or sculpture?

It is a wonderful sculpture. Full of meaning.