Mary-Precious Ike

My aim with this piece was to emphasize the significance of community, highlighting the importance of everyone within the community regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, gender, and age, working together to create a strong and nurturing social structure that enhances the well-being of all members.

The piece I have created depicts both a physical community, represented by the Loughborough- map, and a metaphorical understanding of community, represented by a 3D heart. While a community does require people, 'the heart of a community,' not being a physical entity that can be in a specific place suggests that there is much more to a good community than just its people. Though they are important, it is instead the selfless acts of love, compassion, and empathy, emotions that stem from the heart in humans, that are vital in the growth of a community than just the people themselves. These intangible qualities form the lifeblood of a community, spreading throughout it just as veins run throughout the heart.

The "heart of the community" demonstrates the critical role that these intangible traits play in cultivating a sense of connection and belonging within a community, fostering mutual support and commitment to a common good. It makes a community a living and thriving entity.

Just as the heart is essential to the proper functioning of the human body, the heart of a community is essential for the proper functioning of the community's social and cultural life.