Meditations

On the Persistence of Love in a Time of Disaster

The rose is often used to represent love in exclusive, romantic perfection. I choose a broken, disintegrating rose to speak for a universal, compassionate approach to the experience of loss and trauma. I present portraits of roses from my neighbourhood made with resist materials such as eraser, wax and china pencil which persevere despite many dense layers of ink. These roses stand in as portraits for the many people known, and unknown, who live with courage through compassion. The emergence of marginalized voices from history and our own time allows us to access stories of resilience and resistance. My work is an act of remembrance for those who have suffered violence, illness, prejudice, oppression and poverty yet have stories of hope and endurance to tell.