Symbol of Sustainability
To raise awareness of the climate emergency, MEP installs an edition of Mother Earth sculptures in major cities around the world. This sculpture acts as the physical footprint of MEP and creates sites for sustainability events. Below is a chronicle of activities in various countries.
United States of America, Washington, DC top
The Mother Earth sculpture made its debut on January 19, 2017. It is located in Georgetown, Washington, DC, on the Potomac River. It was installed the day before the US Presidential Inauguration, as a proud reminder of this country’s focus on sustainability. The dedication of this sculpture was on Saturday, April 29, 2017, the same day as the Climate March. Click here for the exact location.
Mother Earth on the Potomac River, Washington, DC
Argentina, Buenos Aires top
In December, 2017, MEP co-founders Benjamin and Barton Rubenstein met with Buenos Aires City Parliament officials as well as representatives from the Office of the Mayor. The City has now passed legislation to bring a Mother Earth sculpture to its capital city. The sculpture was installed in Parque de los Niños in November, 2023. Click here for the exact location.
Cameroon, Yaoundé top
The capital city of Yaoundé installed a Mother Earth sculpture in the Spring, 2018. The city will celebrate the arrival of the sculpture by inviting local environment-focused groups and government officials and display parachutes made by students in schools from around the country. Click here for the exact location.
China, Guilin top
Guilin, a city whose environmental gems are featured on China’s 20 Yuan note has been chosen as the site for a Mother Earth sculpture, celebrating China’s focus on saving the environment. Specifically, the Boya Academy, a K-12 international school with 31 like-academies around China, is excited to have Mother Earth at its Guilin campus. It is located in the school’s art corner, a place where students discuss art projects. MEP is excited to begin this collaboration with the Boya Academies. The dedication was September, 2020. Click here for the exact location.
The banner reads, “To Protect the Environment, We are in Action”
Mother Earth at Boya Academy
The Karsts (Mountains) and the Lee River in Guilin
Central Pond at Boya Academy
MEP Inflatable Booth in Chinese with Boya Academy Administrator Zhou
MEP Cofounders pose with MEP Volunteer Daisy Chan (left) and Boya Academy Administrator Zhou (right)
MEP Booth in front of Boya Academy for Parent’s Day
Germany, Bonn top
A Mother Earth sculpture was installed on the shores of the Rhine River opposite the UNFCCC campus. Installation was June 17, 2020. The first dedication ceremony was June 26, 2020 during the pandemic. The second dedication ceremony was Oct 2, 2021. Click here for the exact location.
Credit: Medienwerkstatt Bonn/Patricia Guzman/Ronnie Bugay
India, Jaipur top
A Mother Earth sculpture has arrived in the capitol city of Jaipur, in the State of Rajasthan. It was installed and dedicated at the central Jawahar Circle, next to the Patrika Gate in September, 2020. There are many plans for sustainability events in the future. Click here for the exact location.
Israel, Jerusalem top
Mother Earth Sculpture Lands in Jerusalem! Mother Earth, Symbol of Sustainability, is now located in Bloomfield Gardens, next to the King David Hotel and the Montefiore Windmill. Click here for exact location.
Mother Earth Sculpture Installation
Mother Earth sculptures are shipped in a 20-foot shipping container to a local port and then the container is trucked to the sculpture site. In advance of the sculpture’s arrival, a 1-meter high concrete foundation is created. On installation day, a telescopic forklift pulls the caged sculpture out of the shipping container. After removing cross supports at the top of the cage, the sculpture is lifted out of the cage with a large rope connected to the profile’s nose. It is then carefully placed on the six stainless steel bolts coming out of the foundation. After securing the sculpture with nuts and washers, a plaque is glued to the side of the foundation. Below are photos of the installation process from around the world.
Time-Lapse Installation of Mother Earth
A concrete foundation (created offsite) is installed. There are different way to do this.
Sculpture Cage is being pulled out of the shipping container (left) and work is done on the concrete foundation, surrounded with Jerusalem Stone (right). Apparently, the sculpture cage is now being repurposed as a bird cage at a residence in East Jerusalem!
Mother Earth sits in its cage waiting to be released!
Mother Earth is lifted by crane from its cage
Mother Earth is lifted by its nose and placed on the concrete foundation
The plaque is about to be mounted on the side of the foundation