Above are two photos, one is a piece from a collection called “Portrait of a Residential School Girl” and the other is a passage describing the piece. I turned a corner in the MOA and this piece caught my eye immediately. Not only are the materials used to present this image visually pleasing, but the painting tells a story all on its own. To me the markings on her face represent internal scars more than anything; what she has endured only she can feel, regardless of what others may see. As soon as I witnessed it’s ‘beauty’ it affected me and I knew I had to write about it. Here is my narrative relating to this beautiful and intense piece of art.
She can’t see them when she glances in the mirror; they don’t quite reach the surface, at least not yet. Internally scarred, the marks imprinted on her spirit weigh even heavier on her heart. What is worse? Physical scars that everyone can examine, or wounds that are embedded inside of her soul that only she must endure? Survival; a word never uttered throughout the hallways of this residential school. Hair chopped short, plain bleached white blouse tousled over her violated body, she barely even recognizes herself anymore. How can she have hope when she is consistently forced to conform to this “school’s” expectations and decree? If she doesn’t they will be beaten into her anyways; then the scars will really surface. Who is protecting her? How long can it last? Conform, they say, who you were no longer exists anyway.