Communal Hands

A Series of Mixed Media Installations

My study of art and specifically sculpture began late in my career. My formal education is law. As a new attorney I worked for a law firm representing some of the wealthiest and most famous people in the world. Later in my career I represented battered women and homeless people, and wrote wills for people dying of AIDS.

In 1982 I had the opportunity to travel to four continents. My experiences brought into sharp focus the disturbing gap which exists between the have and have-nots, both in the United States and around the world.

In 1990 I began to study sculpture. The body of my work from 1990 through 1992 consists of figurative and representational clay and stone pieces. After completing my first piece it was apparent to me that unless my work addressed issues which I felt were more important, that it was a waste of time. Another torso or head, no matter how brilliant, is meaningless and unnecessary. Its sole purpose is the promotion of the artist.

My work now focuses on mixed media installations dealing with social commentary. The common element of each piece is the use of white plaster hands. Most of the hands are replica's of the artist's hands. They are colorless. They are fragile. They are flawed. They remind us that we are all capable of anything. We may find ourselves in any situation in life.

The purpose of my work is to challenge ideas, inform, educate and call people to action.

Edward DeBonis

1993