For the past three months I have had the absolute pleasure of working with the young artists involved in OIM’s Passion 4 Youth art program. They have been collaborating with me on a research project addressing the role of structural violence in their lives, that is to say, the lives of young street engaged people. This means that we have been talking about the experiences they have had where parts of society create suffering and cause them harm. Examples of the aspects of society that can create problems for them include the transit system, the police, and the stigma and judgement they face because of how they look and their presence in public spaces. They have also been representing their reflections on these experiences through their art.
This Thursday (Nov 28th) we are inviting the public to come out and see their art, and to engage in art-inspired dialogue about the role that social structures play in the lives of these youth, as well as in all of our lives, and to think critically about how sometimes these structures can be harmful, and to start thinking about how we can change them. Look forward to seeing everyone Thursday night! (For more information about the up-coming show click here.)
Susannah Taylor
PhD Candidate
University of Ottawa
School of Social Work