Creative Time, New York’s preeminent public arts presenter, is pleased to support The Peace Piece, a multi-component art project by acclaimed costume designer and artist Adelle Lutz consisting of women wearing hand-painted black burkhas in a mobile performative artwork throughout New York City on Thursday, March 20, 2003.

TODAY, WALKERS WILL BE AT GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL AT NOON, FIFTH AVENUE AT ROCKEFELLER CENTER AND 57TH STREET THIS AFTERNOON, AND AT THE ANTI-WAR RALLY AT 5PM IN TIMES SQUARE, 42ND STREET AND SEVENTH AVENUE.

As war with Iraq becomes increasingly imminent, Lutz’s project is designed to remind the public that the victims of war are overwhelmingly children and women. The Peace Piece will encourage unsuspecting audiences on the street to pause, reflect, and consider our current global situation. Trios of women will move through the City in burkhas bearing on the front UN statistics: “23 million people live in Iraq. Half are children” and “90% of war casualties are civilians.” Other burkhas will bear a hand-painted full-term fetus. The performers include Lutz, dancers, healers, and teachers who will slowly move through select public spaces in peaceful meditation. As they walk, they will focus on the following metta meditation:

May you be healthy; may you be happy; may you live with ease of heart, and ease of mind; may you live in safety; may you live in peace; this is offered to all beings.

The Peace Piece originated as the Burkha/Womb project, a sculpture by Lutz of a velvet burkha with a fetus painted on the stomach and an accompanying limited-edition of posters. Both were created months ago in response to the ongoing situation in Afghanistan. After exhibiting Burkha/Womb in the window gallery of the New Museum of Contemporary Art in SoHo public response was so great that Lutz sought to expose the work to a large and diverse audience with the project’s current incarnation.

This powerful and elegant performance throughout the City on Thursday, March 20 will open a fresh perspective on world events, encourage dialogue, and resonate within our individual and collective memories, making a difference to the viewer and wearer alike.