Release Freedom

My artwork focuses on women in Afghanistan who have no identity.  The Taliban have striped women of the their basic human rights.  Women are forced to wear burqas, long robes that cover them from head to toe.  Most women are unable to have a job or attend most schools, and their opinions are oppressed.  Women can be publicly beat or killed for violating Taliban restrictions.  Only 1-2% of Afghan women have identity cards.  My picture shows how women in Afghanistan have no identity or way to be different.  The woman in yellow at the back is standing and releasing a bird into the sky, symbolizing her freedom and strength.  The women close to her are glowing yellow, showing the effects of empowerment she has on them, and how they can change.

- Christina, Grade 10

Walking In Style?

My painting is a representation of mother earth, the empowerment of women, and the sacrifice women face in their everyday lives. In my painting I have a young single mother holding her pregnant stomach as the world, and a stiletto shoe. The stiletto shoe I put in to make the statement "Try Walking In Her Shoes". This statement to me means a lot because there is so many people in this world who are careless or oblivious to what woman go through in lives of poverty. One of the things I want people to realize is that woman and single mothers all over the world are a leading movement, they are the driving force in the economy. Women suffer everyday trying to provide for their children, keep a household, and provide food...but still can't afford a pair of shoes. In the meantime, the more fortunate are just sacrificing there feet to pull off a pair of fancy shoes. Look at the difference, open your eyes, and make a change. Next time your looking at a pair of over expensive shoes that you cant afford, think of the single mothers all over the world who are in need. We can make a difference.

- Makayla, Grade 9

I Have A Voice

For my project I decided to focus on the oppression of women, not by physical violence, but when they are oppressed by being denied the right to speak up. On the face of the girl in my painting is the phrase 'I have a voice' in forty different languages because I wanted to try to incorporate as many different nationalities into my art work as possible. I chose to represent Rwanda in particular though by using typical racial markers for Rwandan people as guide lines for painting the girl. Rwanda is one of the countries that has come the farthest in terms of feminism in the past decade or so with 56% of the MP's on their parliment being women. That is a higher percentage than any other country (yes even in the West) ever! In that time, issues of domestic violence, equal pay rights, and human trafficking have been brought to attention. Rape has also been made a serious crime that is punishable by life sentence in jail. This just shows that when women are given a voice in their communities they can make a positive change in our world.

Maia, Grade 9

Escaping Poverty

My artwork is about having a hand in helping woman around the world out of poverty. I painted three hands  of different skin colours holding a key that unlocks the door of poverty. The handle of the door is a world. Women only own 1% of the world's land! The women's hands that I painted are from Africa, Asia, and South America. In Africa, girls carry buckets of water on their heads all day for their family, instead of going to school. In Asia, baby girls are aborted before birth because they aren't boys! And in South America, a girl's parents can sell her off for money.
From this process I've learnt that in Canada, woman/girls are very fortunate. I've learnt that anyone, of any age, can lend a hand in helping out woman in the world out of poverty. Also, I believe that this issue is more important than most things we see in the media and people should know about the problems women face each day.

- Taylor, Grade 9

Rise Above

In my art three women are rising above a world of pain and misery as they clutch at the fragile tendrils of hope. I was hoping that when people see my work they will understand the difficulties that women in other parts of the world face each day, and how they can come to rise above their struggles with a bit of help. I aimed to represent Peru. I did this by using the same style of bright fabrics with detailed patterns. I chose Peru because women there are constantly being denied basic rights, like abortions, which are illegal there. Nearly half of Peruvian women are abused by fathers, brothers, or husbands, and 44.5% of Peru's population live below the poverty line. I believe that our art can change the world, because if it can inspire just one person, that person can have the power and ability to speak up and make a difference.

- Robin, Grade 10


Watch for more artwork to follow . . .