The Fallen Birds of Youth

The Fallen Birds of Youth

Brightly coloured birds and fish fill the canvas. Each represents a child. Some are almost identical, some hide, some play upside down, each is beautiful and confident of their life. Birds can also be found in the fibre of a pair of abstracted Converse sneakers that are presented as hearts in the second image.

Dedicated to Maite Yuleana Rodríguez, age 10, and the countless children whose lives end as a direct result of human to human harm. Maite was one of nineteen students in May 2022 who were lost at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.

This work and text was particularly challenging as I wished to ensure the image was not frightening or disturbing for children, yet encourages the viewer to consider the devastation of using weapons that harm them. The repeating motif of birds and fish remind me of how frequently humans fail in their duty of care to their youngest and most vulnerable.

In this allegorical work the hearts, birds, fish, and sneakers represent hidden meaning with moral and political significance.