Where does the end of me become the start of you?

I recently completed my piece for the exhibit, Banned & Recovered. The piece is named after a song from Tears for Fears. Back in January 2008, I committed to naming my pieces after my favorite 80's songs and I am sticking to that. This particular piece is my interpretation of the Color Purple, the novel by Alice Walker. Be sure to catch the show which opens this Friday!

The title is based on the song, "Change" by Tears for Fears. This song reminds me of the relationships between the two sisters, Celie and Nettie, as well as the one between Celie and her husband.

I pulled out some of the phrases of the song that I like the best:

You walked in to the room
I just had to laugh
The face you wore was cool
You were a photograph............

I did not have the time
I did not have the nerve
To ask you how you feel
Is this what you deserve..........

We walk and talk in time

I walk and talk in two

Where does the end of me

Become the start of you.........

Here is an extract from the artist statement I wrote for the piece:

My own experiences as a woman of color and daughter of immigrants is also a recurring theme in my work. I was delighted to develop a piece inspired by Alice Walker?s acclaimed novel, The Color Purple. What most affected me as a reader was the powerful bond held between the two sisters, Celie and Nettie, a bond that was challenged predominantly by patriarchy. I was informed by the paths that the two sisters took. As an artist, I am constantly exploring the many spaces and roles that we inhabit as women of color, how it is that we exist and flourish within the repressive conditions of our time.

My piece depicts the story of the two sisters and how they sustain their connection to each other, even if the face of extreme hardship. This is similar to the conditions that immigrants live under today. Many families are forced to separate due to the economic conditions of their homelands, and due to the globalized nature of the world economy. Repressive laws and ultimately, racist laws make it even harder for these families to live peacefully, similar to the families in The Color Purple. This piece attempts to capture the experiences of a people in daily struggle, to document their challenges and celebrate their tenacity.