The Silent Genocide
Art Based on Current Events
The Issue
There is genocide happening towards the Uyghur Muslim ethnic group in China. They are being kidnapped and taken to camps where they are being tortured and forced to do/say things against their religion, such as eating pork. There are also rules that they have to follow, such as not being able to speak their own language, pray, or wear religious clothing. Additionally, they are being beaten, sexually assaulted, as well as being medically experimented on. The horrors they are forced to endure shocked me. I chose this topic to raise awareness.
Side Views
Details
Color Choice
Blue: The face and bottom hand are both painted with a light blue color, and the face has a white moon and star. I chose this color and these shapes for the face and hand because this is meant to appear as the Uyghur ethnic flag.
Red & Yellow: The hand covering the mouth is painted with a red color with the addition of yellow stars. This is meant to appear as the flag of China.
Flower
I chose to make an origami plum blossom place on the Uyghur hand. After researching, I learned that this is the national flower of China. Flowers are usually shown during war time to display a sign of peace. I think the flower captured that emotion in this sculpture.
Bird
My decision to add this bird was tied to the bird cage that the Uyghur woman is trapped in. I chose to add a specific bird: the Red-Crowned Crane, which is the national bird of China. The red color on the top of the bird's head naturally shows power that China's government is abusing. I decided this was the irony I wanted in my piece: A free bird flying outside of a woman trapped in a bird cage.