Molding Memory

David Kracov won his first art competition at the tender age of 12... That was 1980. Even now, David is able to see the world through the eyes of a child. Utilizing the poem The Butterfly by Pavel Friedman, a child interred at the Terezin Concentration Camp, David sculpted a scene encompassing dozens of butterflies and characters from the Looney Toons Cartoons outside a boxcar. "The butterflies of my sculpture represent the souls of those children that lost their lives during the Holocaust. In particular, each butterfly of my sculpture represents 1,989 children under the age of 16 that lost their lives at Auschwitz. " Bug Bunny and his cohorts surround the boxcar, each appears to be in the midst of personal prayer or meditation.


The last, the very last,
So richly, brightly, dazzlingly yellow.
Perhaps if the sun's tears would sing
against a white stone. . . .
Such, such a yellow
Is carried lightly 'way up high.
It went away I'm sure because it wished to
kiss the world good-bye.
For seven weeks I've lived in here,
Penned up inside this ghetto.
But I have found what I love here.
The dandelions call to me
And the white chestnut branches in the court.
Only I never saw another butterfly.
That butterfly was the last one.
Butterflies don't live in here,
in the ghetto.


Don't forget about the Holocaust Museum of Houston's Butterfly Project... only about 4 weeks left to send your butterfly!

Thank you to my dear friend Susan of Polymer Clay Notes for pointing out this man's genius to me. I have mentioned that Susan was the one who encouraged me to initiate this blog which as of today consists of FOUR HUNDRED separate posts!