Who Cares

460mm x 400mm

30 limited edition giclee print on archival stock

who cares about the world cup, what about me?
with the RWC 2011 days away, the hype builds to fever pitch. the public is asked to get behind the cup and support their team. let’s lift everyone’s spirits and make it an event aotearoa and the world will never forget! it’s going to be great for the country and the economy, new zealand on the world stage.

while it’s a great thing, and we all want our team to win, there’s something huge going on that needs our attention and committment. we as a country need to team up and beat it. our tamariki are being abused and killed by people who are supposed to protect and love them. aotearoa has appauling child abuse statistics and we have to do something about it.

‘i make no apologies for this image and the feelings it may ignite. it is intended to create a reaction. we all have to face up to the reality of what is happening in aotearoa and do what we are able to do in order to help combat it.’

this piece is of the artist as a child. it is purely fiction for shane, but is a scary reality for many of our tamariki. every day we hear of another innocent soul, abuse beyond belief, often by the hands of a supposed loved one. it’s time we united and made it a priority to sort out.

‘i have myself in the piece to acknowledge my feelings about our negative child abuse statistics. i’m putting my hand up and asking for support to help do what we can to stop it.’

the image portrays the innocence and longing for love a child seeks. he stands alone in the field of play, waiting for assistance, fearful of what the future holds. with all that is good and positive in aotearoa 2011, he feels lost and lonely.

‘i’ve released this limited edition print to help raise awareness and keep the issue fresh in our minds, so we don’t lose attention and focus on what we need to fix. funds raised from the sale of this work and the re-release of my whaanau work, will support the parenting hub based in south auckland. for me it’s about supporting and nurturing the parents and organisations who are out there doing positive work, to make sure we are safe guarding the future for our tamariki. the parenting hub fits perfectly with values and beliefs.’

$100 from each sale goes to the parenting hub.