Chanel Peng

Title: Protection
Medium: Ink Illustration on Line Paper
Dimensions: 250 mm x 190 mm
Year Created: 2020

Artist Statement:

This piece is from a series I made called “Art I made while Mentally Institutionalized”. I made this piece immediately after a wave of chronic pain where I naturally took a fetal position. It inspired me to draw a protective stance in an abstract checkerboard. I protect myself but in healing am still trying to reach through my barriers to gain the help I need. In this dark moment of my life my intersecting identities were clashing with my mental and physical health. Oppression is a huge detriment and trauma to our psyche and I use my art to bring forth the resilience I need to continue. Marginalized identities are constantly defending and protecting ourselves as means of survival. It is exhausting, but with each step forward and each new breath, we are deserving of pride.