Defaced by the Chaos Around

Artist Statement

Wounds That Refuse to be Silenced

Forming part of an ongoing collaborative project titled “In Their Presence”, which was born out of conversations among myself, Sofia Traslavina and Akissi Beukman; which later expanded to conversation with an organisation called “Community with a Conscience”. Through our engagement with members of “Community with a Conscience”, what became apparent is that we tend to overlook the long-term effects of “secondary trauma”. Thus, this body of work engages with the effects of harmful conditions that vulnerable groups within society are often subjected to. These dehumanising conditions result from war, genocide, famish, lack of access to services such as professional healthcare and high-quality education, etc. Staged in a dilapidated setting, the work focuses specifically on the psychological impact of living in a society that is on the verge of collapse; a society that is hanging on by a thread. In the frame, the viewer gets to meet Akissi, who finds herself in a world she barely recognises due to the moral decay it has undergone. Even though she is equipped with tools to hide the wounds on the surface, she finds herself suffocating because the wounds go beyond the depths of the skin. Layers upon layers of band aids (gauze) hang loosely along with yarn on her body, weighing her down. This is to symbolise a sense of helplessness that one develops when they do not receive the necessary support when they are facing trials.  Despite all the turmoil the work speaks on, it also touches on how the having tools at one’s disposal, in this context band aids (gauze) and yarn, can lead to new possibilities for healing. This can be achieved through community engagement, where individuals collectively share burdens to lighten each other’s load, thus bringing expertise and experience to the cause. With that said, putting oneself amidst the chaos can be viewed as sign of bravery.