We are all Pearls

By: Whittney de Araújo

Recife, Brazil

Artist Statement

This drawing shows representation. No one is the same; we all have quirks. The drawing shows eight or more women who are looking at the board and each feels represented. It doesn’t matter what you look like, your race, orientation, or sexual identity, where you’re from, or whether you have a disability. We all bleed the same, and we deserve to be respected and represented. Representation matters and makes a difference in the life of each person. I used the painting “Girl with a Pearl Earring” by Johannes Vermeer as a reference for the paintings placed on the wall, so that they would look similar with the girls who watched them. Embracing our differences is a very important step for change–we are all pearls; we need and want to be represented.