Injustice in Person | Invisible Wounds

I have been on a journey over the last year seeking to make my art have an impact on social issues, especially injustices like oppression and slavery. I see the malady and how it impacts the society as a whole, but the impact that these situations have on the individual is so long lasting.

I posted this on twitter at the end of my art class yesterday, "Emotionally exhausted from my art class. Drawing from memory is not the same thing as drawing memories."

Oh, these memories, how they affect me still. This particular sketch is a memory that shaped my self worth (or lack there of) for most of my life. Looking back I know that my extended family would have and did do everything they could to help my little fractured family. On this day my siblings and I were being separated into the homes of the brothers and sisters of my father who was being incarcerated.

I remember sitting on a trunk full of my things, interpreting their arguments as a sign that they didn't want to take me, the youngest, due to my inability to add value to any particular household. I was a complete liability and not only worthless, but a burden.

As you and I reach out to the hurting people around us, as we endeavor to rescue people from abuse, injustice and neglect, let's be mindful of the emotional wounds that these people carry. Some are externally visible, gashes that bleed profusely and scream for attention. Others are not so visible, internal wounds that cripple and destroy from witihn.

Rescue Series To Benefit The Red Thread Movement

I am very excited to partner with the Red Thread Movement through the Rescue Series to raise awareness and funds to help stop human trafficking and provide hope and life skills to rescued girls. The 72 Hour Abduction will raise awareness of my art project and the important work that the Red Thread Movement is doing.

The Red Thread Movement's mission is to generate awareness of the global human rights crime of sexual slavery, particularly of women and young girls; raise financial support for efforts to end sex trafficking in Nepal and educate girls in Nepal to actively prevent sex trafficking on the front lines. Visit their website: http://www.redthreadmovement.org

The completed Rescue Project will be three concrete cells that will house representations of incarcerated people. These pieces will be "cast shadow" works where the ultimate idea of the work will be represented by the shadow the piece casts. Visit our IndieGoGo.com campaign page for more information.

My hope is to create a tour with the pieces in the late spring and summer of next year. Since the pieces will be representations of actual cells I thought it would be very impacting to have an artist, activist or other person (like a pastor, youth leader or teacher) local to the area we go to participate in a “24 Hour Abduction” where they would actually stay in the art for a 24 period. We would allow them to have a set of sharpies and they could write or draw on the cell walls. I can imagine the heart of the movement speaking through those walls.