"Oh Say Can We See",... An Iraq War Memorial

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The Crane Project, Helping to See the Losses of the Iraq War

The Iraq war has become the invisible war to the average American. A Pew Research study released in the spring of 2008 shows most Americans underestimate the number of American soldiers killed in the war. The number of stories reporting on the war has dropped off dramatically. The government of the United States is imposing restrictions on reporters and photographers. There are very few images of the price of this war.

As we begin 2009 the coverage is cutting back even further. All of the major television outlets are eliminating a full-time coverage in Iraq. They will be relying on coverage from reporters in the Middle East. According to some reporters, producers for the news programs did not want to show "the same old story". The perception is the news is too depressing for the viewer, and they will change the channel. In addition, rebuilding the infrastructure of Iraq does not have the drama that news producers are looking for in their coverage.

I believe we must see what this war has cost in human life. The United States invaded a country,removed the government, the army and the police, and is now occupying that country. The lives being lost go far beyond the American soldiers, which is tragic enough. Coalition forces, contractors, journalists, and tens of thousands of Iraqi citizens. More than 100,000 lives have been prematurely cut short, under tragic circumstances
.
How can we understand what the price of war is in human terms if we don't see it? This art project is using origami cranes to represent those lives.
We have to see the price to make the right choices in the future.

Summarizing the Numbers:

American soldiers killed: 4328

Coalition forces killed: 317

Journalists killed: 168

Contractors: 456+ (exact number unknown)

Estimating the Losses by the Iraqis 

Telling the Story with Cranes 

Representing the Deaths in the Iraq War in a Concrete, Visible Way

Polymer clay cranes are being made from translucent polymer clay to represent each American soldier killed in the war in Iraq. Each crane will have the name of the soldier, the date they died, where they died, and the cause of death transferred onto the wings. The reason I am adding this information is to reinforce the idea that each crane represents an individual with a story. And we have the information about the American soldiers readily available.

The cranes being made to represent the Iraqi citizens will be folded from waxed paper. My hope is to create a display that will be able to represent the 100,000+ Iraqi citizens who have died from this war. They will not have names, because in many cases we do not have that information. And it further illustrates how invisible these lives, and the loss of these lives, has been to us.

Coalition forces will be represented with cranes folded from white vellum. The country from which they come will be added onto one of the wings. And journalists who lost their lives in Iraq will be portrayed with cranes folded from articles about the war, or the Middle East.

Coalition Forces will be represented with Vellum cranes.

Cranes for Journalist killed in Iraq folded from articles about the war.

Iraq War By the Numbers 

  • The population of Iraq is 27 million
    The population of Texas is 24 million.
  • Iraqi civilians killed by violence since the invasion: more than 85,000.
    More than one million Iraqi civilans have been wounded.
    This means that one out of every 120 to 300 civilians have been killed in this war. And approximately one in 25 have been wounded.
  • For every American soldier killed in Iraq, at least 20 to 25 Iraqi civilians have died.
  • Unemployment in Iraq is 30%
    Only about 30% of Iraqi students are attending classes.
  • The cost of the war was projected by the Bush administration to be $50 to $60 billion.

Waxed Paper Cranes are Being Folded by Many Volunteers to Represent the Iraqi citizens

Why Am I Using Cranes? 

Why have I decided to use cranes to represent the lives lost in Iraq? Cranes are symbols of peace and long life, as well as symbols of prosperity and fidelity. It is those first two that offer the connection I want to make.

Legend was, that cranes would live for 1000 years. Thus they became symbols of long life. The connection with peace is a more recent one. It arises from the story of a little girl in Japan, Sadako Sakasi, who became ill with leukemia, ten years after the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima.

I have been making cranes from polymer clay for more than five years, and I have seen many times how people have seen the crane as a way to memorialize a loved one, or to celebrate a new life, a new wedding, or an anniversary. The stories I have been told have touched my heart, and made me more aware of the power of a symbol. These experiences fueled my inspiration for this project.

Crane Production to Date:

Polymer clay cranes made: 1697(to 6/10/05)

Number of waxed paper cranes on hand (Iraqi civilians): 7100+

Cranes from magazine articles (journalists): 83

Cranes from vellum (coalition forces): 24

What Does a Casualty Number Mean? 

curated content from YouTube

One Crane, One Story 

curated content from YouTube

The Crane Project 

Showing the human price of the Iraq war.

It is easier for us to imagine the trillions of dollars being spent in Iraq than it is to imagine the thousands and thousands of lives being lost. The Crane Project is an art project that attempts to make the numbers concrete. Origami cranes are being made from polymer clay to represent the soldiers, the journalists, and the Iraqi citizens who have lost their lives in the invasion and occupation of Iraq.

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The Cost of the War in Iraq in Dollars and Cents 

See How The Project Goes, from Clay to Cranes on Cables 

curated content from YouTube

Ready to Help? Here Are Some Ways to Jump In. 

  1. You can make a tax deductible contribution to the project, through the New York Foundation for the Arts, through their Fiscal Sponsorship Program. Specify that the money is to go to the project in my name, Judy Dunn, or the project name, "Oh Say Can We See." http://www.nyfa.org/nyfa_artists_detail.asp?pid=6077
  2. Many people are helping is by making the waxed paper cranes to represent the Iraqi citizens who have lost their lives in the war. The goal is to make 100,000+ waxed paper cranes.

    Each crane is folded from a 4" square of waxed paper. It is ordinary waxed paper, found in the grocery store. I have found having a paper cutter makes it easier to cut, especially if you plan to fold any significant number.....but, every crane helps. An envelope with one crane is appreciated, and will help bring the project closer to the goal.

    The cranes can be left flat (wings un-opened), so they are easier to mail. They can be sent to me at:

    The Crane Project
    P.O. Box 2924
    Acton, MA 01720-6924
  3. If you work with polymer clay, you can make the disks that I use to help crimp the polymer clay cranes in place on the cables. I need two for each crane, so it isn't hard to calculate that I will need more than 8000! So, every little task that someone helps with, means I can focus more of my time on folding the polymer clay cranes, publicizing the project, searching for a place to install it, and raising funds.

    If you want to make these discs, you need translucent polymer clay (not Sculpey III), and a 3/8" (approx.) circle cutter. Roll out the clay to a thickness of about 2mm, or about a 4 or 5 on an Atlas pasta machine. Cut your circles, and cure them for at least 1/2 hour. Longer means stronger! I will drill the holes in the center to the diameter I need. Just put them in an envelope and mail them to The Crane Project. (address above).
  4. Or, you can spread the word. Send people here, or to the blog. Throw a crane folding party....more fun than you might imagine. Lots of interesting conversation is bound to happen. Keep your eyes open for possible venues to exhibit the project, or other groups that might be able to support the project with labor or grants.

This is a Community Project

It needs the hands, hearts and minds of many to make it a reality.
It needs a home to be displayed, temporarily or permanently so that people can see the cost of the Iraq war in human terms.

You can make waxed paper cranes.

You can make a donation.

You can spread the word.

Peaceful Thoughts or Inspirations 

Your own, or ones that others have said (with credits, of course!)

There are many wise people out there who have reflected on the cost of war, and the reasons for peace. Add your thoughts, or quotes that you have heard and love. Be sure to vote your favorites or most inspiring up the list.

Ghandi

"Be the change you want to see in the world.& more...4 points

George Bernard Shaw

"Peace is not only better than war, but infin more...2 points

Agatha Christie

"One is left with the horrible feeling now th more...1 point

Benjamin Franklin

"There was never a good war or a bad peace.&q more...1 point

Dorothy Thompson

"Peace is not the absence of conflict but the more...1 point

His Holiness, the Dalai Lama

"Peace, in the sense of the absence of war, i more...1 point

Colman McCarthy

"Everyone's a pacifist between wars. It is l more...0 points

Maria Montessori

"Establishing lasting peace is the work of ed more...0 points

War and Peace 

Want to read more about peace, or the Iraq war. Here are a few books I have been reading lately.

I'd Rather Teach Peace

Amazon Price: $13.50 (as of 11/23/2009) Buy Now

The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder

Amazon Price: $19.40 (as of 11/23/2009) Buy Now

A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose (Oprah's Book Club, Selection 61)

Amazon Price: $10.08 (as of 11/23/2009) Buy Now

When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times

Amazon Price: (as of 11/23/2009) Buy Now

Start Where You Are: A Guide to Compassionate Living (Shambhala Classics)

Amazon Price: $10.08 (as of 11/23/2009) Buy Now

Suggestions, Comments, and Questions 

I would love to hear your input about the project.

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Peace Paraphenelia 

Wear Peace, Carry Peace, Use the Message of Peace

Purchasing any of these items from this page will help Dog Tags for Kids, and The Crane Project.
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by JudyDunn

I am an artist, an activist, and a mother and wife. I believe when we are doing the work we were meant to do, powerful things can happen in our lives... (more)

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