The Ants Return—Working Class Heroes or Social Parasites

 

Watching a battalion of ants march through a crack in my bathroom molding I was in awe of their determination and sense of purpose.

What was their plan for today?—Steal my toothpaste and feed the troops, grab a drink, or burrow into a warm, dry nest.

The ants seem to be communicating with each other as their plan unfolded—their collective efforts, a lesson in perseverance. Some ant species have been observed utilizing organizational skills, division of labor, and sophisticated agriculture while harvesting food.

But like humans—ants also exploit the rules. Some ant species are known as social parasites who engage in warfare, take over other colonies, kidnap their neighbor’s pupae and turn them into slaves along with captured workers.

Some humans have also been known to practice social parasitism as they seek elective office, seats on judicial benches and engage in corporate kleptocracy. They have been known to use their status as an opportunity to harvest material benefits and power for themselves, their families and their friends.

This might include former US Presidents who profit from global business networks, current Supreme Court justices who take gifts from wealthy benefactors, and despots throughout the world who subjugate people for territory and profit.

"Vessel #58"—Vestige"  Wood, Flax, Bone, Wasp Nest.   48" x 22" x 6"

(Collection of the Di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art)

Before you begin to exterminate our “resourceful guests” consider that in some cultures the presence of ants is an omen for spiritual meaning.

In Native American culture ants are seen as symbols of diligence and patience, in African folklore ants are associated with wisdom and ingenuity, and in Chinese culture they bring good luck and wealth.

"Vessel #97—Hitch"   Wood,  22" x 25" x 50" (h)

(from the series, "100 Vessels—Theories of Evolution")

So……Happy spring…..
It’s time to smell the flowers, have a picnic and take note of our
“ant friends” who are just doing their best, like all of us,
to survive and thrive.

Jeff Key—Website:

http://www.jeffmkey.com/

To see more of Jeff Key's artwork:
Sculpturesite Gallery: https://sculpturesite.com/artist/356-jeff-key
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/jeffmkey/

A Canary In A Coal Mine—A Peacock In Oakland

 As I walked out the door on this brisk, January morning I thrust my finger into the air to sample the prevailing breeze.

Which way will the wind be blowing as we
embark on this new year—2024?

Will the current slant leeward toward the proverbial canary in a coal mine— or will it shift windward to ruffle the plumage of the enigmatic peacock strutting his stuff on my front lawn.

When Kevin, our adopted pet peacock, arrived in July 2023 and took up residence on our street we thought it was a sign from the Buddha Dharma that maybe understanding, benevolence, and compassion had finally landed in Oakland, California.

Now seven months later—Kevin, our old trusted friend, has come to symbolize even more as he has opened our eyes to what is right in the world—a sense of wonder, dreams of new possibilities, and a catalyst for bringing our community together.

When our neighbors gather at sundown to watch Kevin scamper up his tree and settle into his nest for the night we always toast him and deliver a nest-time benediction, “thank you Kevin for showing us how the simple pleasure of interacting with one nature’s most magnificent creatures can endow us with a much needed moment of joy.”

"Kevin" with  "Vessel #96—Generations"   Wood. 45" x 10" x 14" (h)

"Vessel #77—Bygone"    Wood, 12" x 7" x 9" (h)

As we say farewell to 2023, the Persian (Avestian) Year of the Peacock, 

and move into 2024 I am drawn to the words that 

Emily Dickinson wrote in 1891 about our avian soothsayers— 

“Hope” is the thing with feathers—
That perches in the soul—
And sings the tune without the words—
And never stops - at all.”

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If a peacock in Oakland can bring neighbors together
to foster a community of good will and optimism,
then there is indeed hope….. Happy New Year.

___________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Key—New Revised Website:

http://www.jeffmkey.com/

To see more of Jeff Key's artwork:
Sculpturesite Gallery: https://sculpturesite.com/artist/356-jeff-key
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/jeffmkey/

Parramatta—The Place Where the Eels Lie Down—A Thanksgiving Conundrum

 

 

Written and sung by Woody Guthrie, some have called "This Land Is Your Land" an alternative national anthem. Others say it's a Marxist response to Irving Berlin’s, "God Bless America," and some Native Americans consider it “tone deaf” in reference to their “stolen land.”

Last month we observed Indigenous Peoples Day, in November we commemorate American Indian Heritage Month, and next week we will celebrate Thanksgiving.

 

Native Americans will observe the 4^th Thursday of November as a National Day of Mourning. Gatherings will take place to remember fallen ancestors, and to tell the Native American version of Thanksgiving that includes accounts of genocide, the spread of disease and the theft of their land.

 

As we celebrate our freedom and bounty it is an appropriate time to remember indigenous people not only in America but throughout the world who are still struggling to hold onto their land, their rights and their dignity.

The Aboriginal Dharug tribes who lived in Western Sydney, Australia called the forests and 

rivers Parramatta which means "head of waters", "the place where the eels lie down.” By 

the late 1790s, the area was claimed by more than 400 British settlers who put up barriers 

that cut off the river and the food supply of the Dharug people.

Link to Parramatta by Jeff Key: 

 https://jeffmkey.com/artwork/5180682-100 Vessels—Theories of Evolution.html

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It is estimated that there are more than 476 million indigenous people spread across 90 countries worldwide.The United Nations defines indigenous peoples as “the holders of unique languages, knowledge systems and beliefs. They have a special relation to and use of their traditional land. Their ancestral land has a fundamental importance for their collective physical and cultural survival as peoples.” (Source: UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, 2021).

 

Conflicts over disputed land, natural resources and ethnic/religious ideology 

continue to rage throughout the world today— 

"Vessel #32—Beacon" 
Wood, Flax, Paper Pulp & Stone   20" x 8" x 10"  

Treaties, covenants, accusations, appeals, logic, irony, seduction, anthems, epithets, sermons, elegies, declaration, defamation, deification—written on parchment—etched in stone—signed with the wind.

Vessel #15—Tapper”  Wood,  24" x 30" x 48" 
—For Chico Mendes, (1944-1988), President of the Xapuri Rubber Tappers' Union in Brazil. Known as the "Gandhi of the Rain Forest," Mendes was assassinated by cattle ranchers angered by his efforts to stop them from exploiting indigenous land in the Amazon jungle.

___________________________________________________________________________

Indigenous people throughout the world have risen up physically to resist persecution— but being under constant duress has also resulted in psychological damage. 

 

Maria Yellow Horse Brave Heart, a Native American mental health professional has developed a model for the historical trauma caused by the long-term subjugation of indigenous people. Her model recognizes intergenerational, emotional and psychological damage and offers methods use to heal including confronting the trauma, embracing history, and moving from “victim” to “survivor.” 

 

As we head into Thanksgiving and the Holiday season I conclude with an Aboriginal proverb that hopefully will help set the tone for a kinder, more peaceful world:

 

“We are all visitors to this time—this place. We are just passing through. Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to grow, to love... and then we return home.”

  ______________________________________________________________

Jeff Key—New Revised Website:

http://www.jeffmkey.com/

___________________________________________________________________________

To see more of Jeff Key's artwork:
Sculpturesite Gallery: https://sculpturesite.com/artist/356-jeff-key
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/jeffmkey/

Darwin Revisited—Xenobots to the Rescue

 

My recent blog posts on Genetic Engineering and Artificial Intelligence raised concerns about how we are altering the course of human evolution.

Scientific investigation and innovation are constantly adding to the calculus of the evolutionary questions: “Where did we come from?” and “Where we are we heading?”

In order to answer these questions we can now add the terms “Coacervate Droplet,” “Mammalian Parthenogenesis” and “Xenobots” to our lexicon.

                       "Vessel #95—Reconcile"   Wood & Flax, 20" x 8" 10"

                     "Vessel #5—Crosscurrent"   Wood & Flax,  24" x 4" x 18"

Like all new AI and genetic engineering advancements the ethical implications of these techniques will have to be weighed and regulated. 

As Charles Darwin said, “A moral being is one who is capable of reflecting on their past actions and their motives—of approving of some and disapproving of others.” 

  ______________________________________________________________

Jeff Key—New Revised Website:

http://www.jeffmkey.com/

____________________________________________________________________________

To see more of Jeff Key's artwork:
Sculpturesite Gallery: https://sculpturesite.com/artist/356-jeff-key
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/jeffmkey/

Artificial Intelligence (AI)—Do We Need A Bigger Brain or More Soul?

Artificial Intelligence (AI), programs that can replicate human thinking, have arrived with readily accessible programs like OpenAI’s Chat GPT4, Microsoft’s Bing, Google’s Bard and in the visual realm DALL-E, Midjourney and Adobe Firefly. With AI, like genetic engineering, we have unleashed another genie from the bottle that could alter the course of human evolution.

I could have written this blog using Chat GPT4 and included artwork designed with DALL-E 2 or Midjourney but after doing some research I decided that what AI programs lack at this point in time is “soul.” 

Joe from the Pixar film,“Soul” defined soul as, 

“the space between the spiritual and the physical.”  

Where does soul come from? Is it rooted in a deep recess of our brain’s limbic system or does it reside in our belly seasoned by the ups and downs of life—love, loss, empathy, compassion, connections to people and nature? How can an algorithm detect the subtleties of a tear, a blush, a wink, a nod, or the flick of a wrist? 

(r) "Vessel #73—Counter, Wood & Flax, 24" x 13" x 33"

(l) "Vessel #72—Gualala-II, Wood & Flax, 17" x 15" x15"

Scientists say that AI programs are approaching a sentient, self-aware, human-level state of being. The question remains—who is programing these algorithms and what is their purpose. How we use these new information technology tools, either in a benevolent manner or for power and profit, will be played out as the future evolves. It’s going to be another test of our ability to coexist and survive.

• While pondering how Artificial Intelligence will impact your life, consider the words of wisdom from Arthur Weasley, Ministry of Magic Wizard from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (by J. K. Rowling)..... 

”Never trust anything that can think for itself 

if you can't see where it keeps its brain."  

To see more of Jeff Key's artwork:

Website: http://www.jeffmkey.com/

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/jeffmkey/

Sculpturesite Gallery: https://sculpturesite.com/exhibit/155

Blog:   https://jeffmkey-art.blogspot.com/

Additional Work:                                                                                                     http://www.artnet.com/artists/jeff-key/                                                                               https://www.artmajeur.com/jeffmkey

Asteroids, Solar Storms and UFO's

 

Just when you thought it was safe to venture out again, scientists are fueling our collective anxiety with talk of the Earth being hit by an asteroid, solar flares, or being consumed by a black hole. And that’s before mentioning that the Air Force recently shot down three UFO’s that might have been looking for a place to land.

Like the deadly virus mutations circulating the globe the threats from outer space are being examined in equal detail by the fine-tuned eye of the James Webb telescope that can peer back 13.6 billion light years to the formation of the first stars and galaxies.

Except for the recent slipping of tectonic plates the Earth has calmed down after a hot, fire-scorched summer filled with drought, rampaging floods and intense hurricanes.

But what if we were suddenly confronted by life forces from another galaxy? Would the nations of the world be able to hammer out a strategy to save humankind or would they fall back on their countries’ military might and maneuver to make a deal with the aliens to control the planet?

Don’t spit out your coffee yet……there is about a 1-in-400,000,000 chance of any of these celestial bodies hitting the Earth…..and the last sighting of a lumbering, orange-haired alien was at the White House where it was seen dazed and confused while tweeting “It’s all a big lie.”

As we continue to probe outer space in search of answers to these questions it might be time to contemplate just how small and insignificant we are in the grand scale of the cosmos.

As Arthur Clarke, author of 2001: A Space Odyssey, said, “Two possibilities exist: Either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying.”

To see more of Jeff Key's artwork:

Website: http://www.jeffmkey.com/

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/jeffmkey/

Sculpturesite Gallery: https://sculpturesite.com/exhibit/155

Blog:   https://jeffmkey-art.blogspot.com/

                                                    Additional Work:                                                                                                       http://www.artnet.com/artists/jeff-key/                                                                                          https://www.artmajeur.com/jeffmkey

What Gets You Up in the Morning?—A Reprise

I am updating this year-end blog post on "well-being" from 2017 because the last six years have been a difficult time for people throughout the world.

In 2022 we have encountered the war in Ukraine, the threat of nuclear confrontation, shootings in schools and public venues, the continuing threat of Covid-19, natural disasters caused by climate change, the global rise of authoritarianism along with attacks on human rights, inflation, food and housing insecurity, and an increase in stress and mental health issues. 

Berlin—The Wall

Because it’s the holiday season it might be time to take a break, consider the little things in life that give us contentment and think about Piglet’s conundrum, “What gets you up in the morning?”

In Denmark its Hygge, a concept originating in the 18^th Century that revers the small things in life, emphasizes experiences over possessions, and encourages a sense of community. 

Similar forms of this philosophy can also be found in many cultures throughout the world:  it’s Lagom in Swedish, Gemütlichkeit in German, Fargin in Yiddish, Jugaad in Hindi, Ikigai in Japanese, Mbuki-Mvuki in Bantu, and Xìngfú in Chinese.

Berlin—Hornblower

So on to 2023 with a hot cup of tea, a warm blanket
and thoughts of a few positive things that happened in 2022: 

•The Covid-19 vaccine reached 1-billion worldwide doses. 
•At the UN Climate Conference more than 25 countries pledged to 

end deforestation and 82% pledged to decarbonize by 2030.
• The Inflation Reduction Act lowered health care premiums and will reduce 

carbon emissions by 40% in the US by 2030. 
• A bipartisan vote of Congress passed gun legislation that includes 

some restrictions on who can buy guns.

To See More of Jeff Key's Artwork:

Website: www.jeffmkey.com

Sculpturesite Gallery: https://sculpturesite.com/exhibit/155

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeffmkey/

European Site: https://www.artmajeur.com/jeffmkey