“PLAY ME, I’M YOURS” STREET PIANOS

This event, organized to promote the 2015 PanAm Games in Toronto, Canada, presented 41 pianos painted by artists representing the countries participating in the games. In July 2012 the pianos were installed on the streets of downtown Toronto for anyone to play. My piano was installed in the lobby of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) Bell Lightbox.

Representing Costa Rica, I set out to create a work that would be appealing and fun, but my piano also has a serious message. Titled “Sweet Melody”, this piano depicts bees working their hive and draws attention to the need for protecting natural habitats – not only of bees, but in fact, all wildlife.

Although Costa Rica has only about a quarter of one per cent of the world's land, it contains five per cent of the world's biodiversity and takes very seriously its responsibility to protect and maintain that biodiversity.

Deforestation in Costa Rica has been cut to almost zero. Approximately 25% of the country’s land is protected area – the largest percentage of any country.  The average in the developing world is 13%, and in the developed world only 8%.

Bees need a healthy environment to thrive and to produce honey. More importantly, a healthy environment depends heavily on bees for cross-pollination. Without them, our crops, forests and parks would wither away.