Spirit Child

[Mistress M]

I don't know if this goes here or in "Musings" so feel free to move it appropriately...

This is my latest piece:




Spirit Child
24 x 30 in.
Mixed Medium (Oil, Watercolor, Paper) on Canvas


What's it about?:

Spirit Children are known by the Yoruba as "Abiku" and by the Igbo as "Ogbanje" both of which mean "born to die." The belief is that these are spirits who only temporarily come into the world and then die as children to return to their playmates in heaven. Many Anthropologists argue this belief is a socio-religous coping mechanism stemming from the high infant mortality rates among these tribes.

Appropriating this belief, the painting is about the effect of AIDS on African children. The 16 brushstrokes of red paint symbolize the 16 million children who have been orphaned by the disease. The "spirit child" itself, whitewashed and fading, is an amalgamation of the the millions of African children whom the AIDS epidemic has made "born to die."


To learn more about this epidemic, or if you wish to help support organizations who combat it, please see: http://www.avert.org/aidsinafrica.htm (http://www.avert.org/aidsinafrica.htm)

Some details:

[xtristessax]

also, Yoruba and Igbo have one of the highest occurances of twin births in the world, that combined with the high infant mortality rates, means that usually one twin dies. however the family normally keeps an effigy of that "spirit child" and takes care of it as if it were still alive. the most unique one i've seen was a campbell's soup dolly painted blue and covered in oil, the living twin was also wearing blue pigment in her hair and covered in the oil. you brought back so many memories for me.

i love this piece but i wonder how it would be interpreted without the explaination? i am always curious to juxtapose the work in its own right and the artist's perspective.

the composition is balanced and lovely.