Binding Vision & Voice

My practice was to bind my own body as representative of all mothers and children who have been denied their visions and voices, exploited, polluted, and otherwise abused within the context of a social system that exists and persists by way of exiling and shaming the mother’s unconditional love, universal compassion, and collaborative nature. I chose my body for the practice because I have been uprooted since 2013, so do not have a wounded community or another ‘place’ for the practice as much as I do not have others to practice with at this time. My body has been my sole refuge, my home away from home. And just as is true for whole communities, home is not always a refuge when home is vulnerable to another’s fear—greed, ignorance, and ill will. This binding of my wounded mind and body demonstrates “that this place is loved and cared for, despite what has happened”. May every mother and child realize this truth and feel safe at home in their bodies—safe to be seen and heard. The first image represents the mother and child’s vision and voice exploited, manipulated, and denied. Thus, distorted with fear, shame, and rage. The second image represents the mother’s polluted womb—the emotional and chemical burden passed to and carried by babes if they survive the insults their mothers endure.