Stars circle the north celestial pole, viewed looking out from inside the dome of BGSU’s 20-inch telescope

Reflections: Women of Color

Elisabeth Baende

2D Art

VISUAL ARTS

Struggle. As humans we all face it one way or another, this gallery shows how women of color are impacted by oppression in four artistic ways. My artwork was made to spread awareness of the pain and hardship that women of color before me and still today face.

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The first picture Centuries of Rage is about how words have impacted African Americans in general, but especially black women. Slaves were whipped and had lashes imprinted on their backs. The harsh words black women have had to endure for centuries are imprinted on one woman’s back in my image Centuries of Rage.

In the second picture, Mood, an abstract silhouette of a woman sitting, pondering over a trying situation, but keeping her cool.

The third picture is a portrayal of broken shards of glass reflecting multiple people encasing the woman with chaos all around. The tendency would be to split or to leave, but as Alicia Keys says in her song “Even when I’m a mess, I still put on my vest– I am a Superwoman.” In Shatterproof the woman fights to withstand the chaos and oppression of life’s situations.

The final piece is of an African woman (from a made up country), her hands on her head contemplating the poverty and depravity of her life and culture. Her skin is black and beautiful, yet she is drowning in despair.

Updated: 12/01/2022 04:50PM