Jeb is a zookeeper. He loves his job!
An International Traveling Exhibition of Endangered Species
Dedicated to the Children of the World by Calley O'Neill with Rama the Elephant
AN EPIC JOURNEY OF ART AND SOUL FOR THE EARTH
RAMA: AMBASSADOR FOR THE ENDANGERED ONES
Speaking Passionately on Behalf of Those who Cannot Speak
THE RAMA EXHIBITION WORLD PREMIERE
IUCN WORLD CONSERVATION CONGRESS 2016
Hawai’i Convention Center, Honolulu, Hawai’i
THE RAMA EXHIBITION
An Interspecies Journey of Art and Soul for the Earth
By Calley O’Neill and Rama the Elephant
THE RAMA EXHIBITION WORLD PREMIERE at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress was the culmination of the groundbreaking interspecies collaboration by artist Calley O’Neill and the late RAMA the Elephant with innovative zookeeper Jeb Barsh.
After ten years of ongoing work, Calley was deeply honored to be chosen as the featured artist for the congress ~ Planet at the Crossroads, in September 2016. THE RAMA EXHIBITION reached 10,000 people from 192 nations who came together to work across boundaries and through differences to protect and preserve the natural world. The congress was the most important summit on nature ever convened. This was a clarion call to wake up and take care of that which takes care of us.
The response to the first twenty-one wildlife thangka paintings was emotion packed, overwhelmingly positive, and deeply honoring. THE RAMA EXHIBITION: A JOURNEY OF ART AND SOUL FOR THE EARTH was indeed a resounding success, applauded by many of Calley’s favorite heroes, including Professor Edward O. Wilson, Jane Goodall, Her Deepness Sylvia Earle, Elizabeth Sahtouris, and hundreds of delegates. Calley’s ten-year dream of stimulating a profound inner experience of love for wildlife and all life through these interspecies works was realized. Now that The Rama Exhibition has the enthusiastic encouragement of its otaku, the world’s leading conservationists and wildlife champions, it’s time to reach the people who love nature and wildlife.
The premiere was the international kickoff of the travelling exhibition, which highlights the plight of endangered species and ecosystems worldwide. Fusing the worlds of art and ecology, each wildlife thangka painting communicated directly to every person who took the time to pause which allowed the thangka painting to stir their innate love of life (biophilia).
Renowned scientists, such as physicist Fritoj Capra and biologist Edward O. Wilson, have warned that by continuing to disrupt the Earth’s symbiotic living systems, humans place their own survival at great risk. Honoring Nature’s Heroes at the most important gathering ever assembled on behalf of nature, the exhibition will continue to be a clarion call for us to wake up and work together to preserve biodiversity, the variety of life that sustains us.
If you’re not outraged, you’re not paying attention.
Terry Tempest Williams
WHY ART? ART IS POWER. R. A. M. A. Real Art Means Action.
Now that we have witnessed the power of The Rama Exhibition to open hearts and minds, may this work travel to move people around the world to take an active part in our greatest task...the conservation of nature to build a healthy future
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EVERYTHING MATTERS!
We, Earth’s dominant species, have everything we need to ameliorate climate change, intervene in the 6th mass extinction crisis, restore the living systems that sustain us, and shift to abundant, sustainable lifestyles through everything we think, say, do, produce, buy, and refuse to buy. In so doing, we will generate enough noble work to satisfy everyone’s innate altruistic drive by encompass everyone’s energy and creativity and love.
COLLECTOR'S LIMITED EDITION POSTERS
To help defray the costs of the Exhibition that exceeded our funding, THE RAMA EXHIBITION WORLD PREMIERE IUCN WORLD CONSERVATION CONGRESS SIGNED and INSCRIBED LIMITED EDITION POSTERS are available for a suggested $50 donation shipped anywhere in the world to reimburse Calley for expenses.
Choose 3 posters in the same tube for $100 or the set of 4 in the same tube for $150. Mahalo nui for your support! Take home THE RAMA EXHIBITION!
Yes, I saw your work. I found it striking…beautiful. My new book is called THE ORIGIN OF CREATIVITY, and I would love to use one of your paintings for the frontispiece. It will be art that exponentially expands the reach of this knowledge.
Legendary Conservationist, Edward O. Wilson to Calley O’Neill
