Middle Finger Candles

The Middle Finger Candle was inspired after I suffered a woodworking accident where I nearly severed my middle finger.  While healing, I contemplated on what life would be like to permanently loose the ability to express my emotions in one gesture.  I realized that it was equivalent to loosing a voice and not having the freedom to express my immediate concerns.  During this time , the Occupy Wall Street movement was at its peak.  I watched protestors getting beaten down and forcefully silenced repeatedly.  My motivation was to symbolically express my rage against the oppressive attitude of the NYPD and the city.

The middle finger is a gesture which immediately polarizes one's opinion.  It is a strong emotional gesture directing one's disdain or aggression to the opposing side.  While the finger is erect, its impossible to conduct a rational conversation and severs all communication.  

My candle has a wick in the middle finger.  As it burns and the wax melts, it leaves a form of a sadly damaged hand , symbolically reminding the human tendency of not being able to start resolving issues until something is tragically destroyed.

These candles were first deployed on Christmas Eve as a Candle Light Vigil for the Occupy Wall Street protest.  Since then, it has travelled to Japan where citizens surrounded the Governmental Building in protest to nuclear energy.   

Since then, it has been appearing in anti-police brutality demonstrations , sexual violence protests  and the DAPL protest.  

Proceeds from the sale of the Blood Red version has been donated to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe to support the protestors.