I have a deep fascination with people and what it means to be human. Moreover, I am intrigued by what it means to be a “fellow” human being.
In December 2012, I came in contact with a group of people living in my home-town of Albany, NY: The Karen. The Karen have a beautifully unique story and culture to share with the world. As a people group who are currently involved in the longest running civil war in history, their story is one that could easily convey tragedy, resilience, or both. I began these paintings in January of 2013 after acquiring a couple hundred photographs of the Karen in Albany. Since then, I have struggled with two main questions: -Do I, as a Haitian-American female even have the right to re-tell the story of a group of people originally from halfway across the world whom I know little about and share no blood with? -Is it my duty as a human being to share, tell the stories of, or even go so far as to attempt to speak for my fellow human beings? As I ponder on the answers to those questions, I would like to share with you a series of “alla primas.” |
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