20"x30" mixed media canvas triptych
This is a meditation about how all women but specifically mothers are warriors. As i created this, I was thinking about a video i saw that week of a Palestinian woman holding her deceased infant in her arms. She kissed it and softly sang it prayers as it was still breathing. I think about the women of the warrior's bloodline i descend from. the strength it takes to continue to love and nurture in the face of a cruel world. I thought about how motherhood is a complex journey of juxtaposition for women. I think about how we prepared one another for the world by passing down our gained wisdom across generations. i wanted her to appear broken but still strong and formidable, like every mother i've ever known.
ADDENDUM:
This painting celebrates the enduring power of women, inspired by recent events in Palestine and Israel. Amidst turmoil, I reflect on the inherent strength of women, often summoned in times of adversity. It's a tribute to the resourcefulness passed down by mothers, the creativity to thrive with limited means. I recall my mother's lessons on stretching meals and our grandmothers' sewing skills, empowering us to reinvent ourselves. Women teach us to adorn ourselves, using makeup as both armor and camouflage. This piece honors the collective wisdom of women, who have sustained the world with their resilience and ingenuity.
Series: ROOTED, Nov 2023, now on display at Granny Zaa, LES NY