ITS NOT OUR SHAME TO CARRY

Description

This work explores the weight of shame that can be placed upon us by other people — through judgement, prejudice, expectation and perception. The obscured figure represents anyone who has found themselves carrying something that was never theirs to carry. The fragmented words surrounding the figure reflect the voices and judgements that can shape how we see ourselves. At the centre of the work is a simple act of resistance: it is not our shame to carry. For me, the painting is about recognising what belongs to us, what does not, and finding the strength to put down the burdens placed upon us by others.