Soniya Ahmed

The purpose of this painting, Us and We, is to identify and challenge social stigma and to promote gender equality in a Kurdish community. At first, there is a self-portrait in the middle of the painting, sitting in a very awkward position trying to take as little space as possible in a land of confusion while thinking about my right as a woman and my position in society, and my self-awareness. There are two figures in front of the painting carrying an angel which describe honor killing by family members and social stigma this painting also looks at male rights in society and their workplaces, at the left side of the painting there’s a boat with a family and the father’s role in society and the pressure they face in our community. Behind that, there is a female figure who is a breastfeeding mother who is trying to protect herself from many confused abstractive figures in society as well as many more details and stories in the painting where I want people to connect and reflect through it. This painting enables people to walk in the shoes of others, it validates the experiences of people who might not have been heard or who have been marginalized.