Bowl of Life 
oxidized sterling silver, (3,016 grains of “Rice”) brass, 24K Fine gold leaf

(from 9/11 Children's Fund commemorative art exhibit)

"Three thousand and sixteen people were killed by terrorists on September 11, 2001. Because we are incapable of mentally grasping such an intangible figure, we are all guilty of becoming desensitized over time by collectively labeling these individuals as “victims.”

In “Bowl of Life,” each grain represents a life that perished on September 11th. All of them woke up to the same beautiful morning on that fateful Tuesday, perhaps even sharing the same ecstatic emotion of waking up to a seemingly perfect world.

There is a saying in Japan, where I was born, that God is in every grain of rice, which is why we should not let a single grain go to waste. I invite you to take a moment to touch the grains. Each particle you feel in the palm of your hand was a sacred life that was loved by family and friends. Each tiny speck held between your fingers represents a rich life that was prematurely robbed of that day. Each of the 3,016 grains, fabricated manually, is unique, like the people who are represented in this piece. But here they are merged in a celebration of their eternal golden souls."