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Cultural Fusion
February 2009 
Why the Shift towards Appreciation instead of gratitude?
Posted on Apr 1st, 2008
by 
Yvette
Yvette
Last year when I was working towards realizing the <a href="http://comfusion.pbwiki.com/Project:what-is-peace">"what is peace?</a>" project I learned something very important about what it takes to achieve anything even remotely close to it.
First, let me share for those who do not know about the history of that project...it began with the understanding that conflict outside was a mirror for internal conflict. My feeling was that the same held true for the world...the wars and international conflicts are a mirror of our collective internal conflict. In my quest to find out if this was true, I found that appreciation for others put me well on the path to a productive encounter. I noticed that people responded to this genuine appreciation which was different from the demand to manufacture gratitude for someone or a situation that may have really been quite irritating.
Instead of focusing on that judgment, I paid attention to finding something, at least one thing I could appreciate in that person or situation.
The result of this shift was profound and impacted every area of my life.
This year our Cultural Fusion event is "Breathing" a celebration of our global family. I will post a little about that....
As a model for interdisciplinary approaches it is evolving in an endeavor to discover how to create a culture, in which all are welcome, appreciated and supported in being their best.
Each component of the artworks in the series operates as “layered systems processes”.
I develop systems and solutions infused with those base ingredients in the context of my Cultural Fusion series. Not all components have to be included in any given community solution. Rather this represents a menu that reflects the project proposal up until this point. This is a framework that will be uniquely celebrated and preserved according to the needs of the communities that participate in that project. For example, the central sculptural and installation themes will be interpreted for the specific site where it will be located. This customization will be seen in the materials selected as well as the scale.
Artistic Parallels that have inspired me and that I think will help put Cultural Fusion into perspective as a work of art that combines installation-performance-visual (paintings, sculpture, etc) and technology in a collaborative art series.... <a href="http://channel.creative-capital.org/project_329.html">William L. Pope's</a> work stands out to me.
Whereas William was focused on "race" Cultural Fusion is concerned with celebration of our Global Family-Humanity....interested in deconstructions of culture and history through art, rather than race or politics. Our interest is on exploration through celebration of our Global Human Family united through our breath.
First, let me share for those who do not know about the history of that project...it began with the understanding that conflict outside was a mirror for internal conflict. My feeling was that the same held true for the world...the wars and international conflicts are a mirror of our collective internal conflict. In my quest to find out if this was true, I found that appreciation for others put me well on the path to a productive encounter. I noticed that people responded to this genuine appreciation which was different from the demand to manufacture gratitude for someone or a situation that may have really been quite irritating.
Instead of focusing on that judgment, I paid attention to finding something, at least one thing I could appreciate in that person or situation.
The result of this shift was profound and impacted every area of my life.
This year our Cultural Fusion event is "Breathing" a celebration of our global family. I will post a little about that....
As a model for interdisciplinary approaches it is evolving in an endeavor to discover how to create a culture, in which all are welcome, appreciated and supported in being their best.
Each component of the artworks in the series operates as “layered systems processes”.
I develop systems and solutions infused with those base ingredients in the context of my Cultural Fusion series. Not all components have to be included in any given community solution. Rather this represents a menu that reflects the project proposal up until this point. This is a framework that will be uniquely celebrated and preserved according to the needs of the communities that participate in that project. For example, the central sculptural and installation themes will be interpreted for the specific site where it will be located. This customization will be seen in the materials selected as well as the scale.
Artistic Parallels that have inspired me and that I think will help put Cultural Fusion into perspective as a work of art that combines installation-performance-visual (paintings, sculpture, etc) and technology in a collaborative art series.... <a href="http://channel.creative-capital.org/project_329.html">William L. Pope's</a> work stands out to me.
Whereas William was focused on "race" Cultural Fusion is concerned with celebration of our Global Family-Humanity....interested in deconstructions of culture and history through art, rather than race or politics. Our interest is on exploration through celebration of our Global Human Family united through our breath.
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