One Word
Contributors to a unique art display in Christchurch have been asked one simple question... What one word would you use to describe the most special woman in your life? That word has been painted onto boards on show at the exhibition.
The exhibition entitled #whoisshe, opened in conjunction with White Ribbon Day at the end of November, is part of an anti-domestic violence campaign encouraging men to show their love for the women in their lives. The gallery is said to be the first of its kind in the world and will be open to the public until October 2023.
Sadly, it is an issue that needs highlighting. In the past financial year police conducted more than 175,000 family harm investigations – that’s an average of one every three minutes.
Sarah Brown of the She Is Not Your Rehab group said it was “quite overwhelming” to see men open up in the lead-up to the exhibition.
She said among the words chosen were delight, courageous, blessing, joy, glue and everything.
“But one of the most submitted words was ‘home’,” she said.
Artist Graham ‘Mr G’ Hoete, who was actively involved in the presentation of the artworks, said the exhibition would serve an important purpose.
“It’s about our rangatahi, the young people themselves, sharing their own personal, very real, stories,” he said.
The main hope of the display is to normalise affirmation and to encourage men to speak positively about their partners, their mothers, their daughters.
Contributor Ashley Vale was one who followed this path. He selected the word ‘Joy’ for his board.
“It’s for Victoria, my fiancée and the mother of my children – it was an easy pick,” he said.
Pasefika Proud is a social change movement – ‘by Pacific for Pacific’ – to boost wellbeing for Pacific families and transform attitudes, behaviours and norms that enable violence. Our name and strapline embody our strengths-based, community-led approach:
Pasefika Proud: Our Families, Our People, Our Responsibility
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