Torn Fragments Of Life
Sometimes, the unexpected happens, and it can be life-altering. Back in the summer, I got a message from Selina Robinson about the book she was writing about her ousting from the BC government and the rise of antisemitism. Full disclosure, Selina is a friend of mine and owns several pieces of my art collected over the years. She told me she wanted to use a piece of my art for the cover. Sitting on her deck at her home that summer afternoon, she told me her ideas of what she’d like for the cover and I then countered with my thoughts and let her know the process of creating a book cover and certain things aesthetically that needed to be considered.
Selina knew how affected I was by what happened on October 7th, 2023 when Hamas invaded the Nova Festival in Israel. We had chatted many times about the attack as well as the rise of antisemitism in Canada and around the world. It baffled me how so many remained silent after such a horrific attack by terrorists. Seeing the silence firsthand made me realize that the stories of several of my Jewish friends about hiding their Jewish identity at times were true. I always thought it was an overreaction but now I understood. I stood with the Jewish people and yearned for the return of the hostages and decided that from that day I would post about the hostages and/or antisemitism daily. I have received some backlash. Some artists were baffled and assumed I must be Jewish. I received a message from a local artist starting with “You must be Jewish”. Nope, no I am not. I had many go from chatting with me often to suddenly becoming mute. I had a prominent voice in BC message me trying to turn me against Selina but also telling me I was wrong and it isn’t antisemitic to call for “intifada” nor was it to say “from the river to the sea”. For any other marginalized community we believe them when they tell us something is racist or hurtful but what I was noticing is when it came to the Jewish community it was different. I stood my ground and the person said to me callously, “All the hostages are likely dead anyway”. I often wonder how this person felt when hostages were released from captivity or rescued or, in the case of the six hostages who were murdered after surviving for 11 months. I simply couldn’t understand and still don’t how people weren’t demanding Hamas release the hostages and surrender. This outcome would have meant less destruction of the land and the Palestinian people.
Originally Selina had two other pieces of my art she was considering for the book cover. When the murder of the six hostages hit the media, I hit my art room and worked through all the feelings I was having, and, as a result, “Torn Fragments of Life” was created. It represents my response to the horrific actions of Hamas and I showed the art to Selina. Below are my words on the anniversary of October 7th posted on my Instagram.
Torn Fragments of Life was created the day 6 hostages who survived for almost 11 months in the most unimaginable of circumstances were found dead. I didn’t know what to do with the thoughts that were swirling around in my head. They survived so long. Their families pain. Their pain. Their horror. So I ripped up my art and created this piece. Each piece of torn paper placed firmly in place. My thoughts kept going back to Hersh Goldberg-Polin whose arm had been blown off and his parents who did everything possible a parent could do to save their child.
One year ago my eyes were opened wide to the horror of watching terrorists attack innocent people in the most barbaric and horrific ways possible. Then, I was blown away by the silence of so many especially in the arts community. How so many people who stood with other minority groups turned their backs on the Jewish community or remained silent and yet, were not silent with other issues like BLM, LGBTQIA, Me Too or those who were saying it was justified. I was blown away at how news organizations, schools, educators all started distorting truth. I saw the propaganda machine of terrorists working and truth being silenced by the masses. The chanting in the streets, the definition of antisemitism being challenged by those who aren’t Jewish, the revisionist history of the Holocaust or the blatant denial. People openly carrying the flags of terrorist organizations in Canadian streets.
Torn fragments of life are the voice memos, text messages, phone calls, DMs I received from my Jewish friends and followers thanking me for standing with them. Thanking me for not being silent. I didn’t understand why I was being thanked because I was just being me. Peace comes when terrorism is equated to evil and evil is destroyed. I have and always will be against hate. I have and always will stand with humanity and that will always include those who are Jewish.
One of the most profound experiences was Selina’s book launch. It was held at a synagogue in Vancouver, the location released that day for security purposes. I brought the original of “Torn Fragments of Life” with me as Selina asked for it to be displayed. I had never been in a synagogue before. I sat in the second row behind Selina’s family and soon the room filled. I do not enjoy all eyes on me and what I didn’t realize was that Selina was going to read my artist statement about the art and introduce me to the audience. I wasn’t prepared for my emotions and the response from those around me.
The one thing that has been consistent from the Jewish community is their gratitude for those who have spoken up and offered compassion for their collective loss on October 7th but also for speaking up against antisemitism. At the book launch an older woman was sitting next to me on my left and another woman to my right who was roughly my age. After my artist statement was read and it became known I was the artist both women turned to me and thanked me. The one on the left told me she was Palestinian and the one on my right was Jewish. The evening was so profound because I had never been in a room with so many Jewish people. Many of them thanked me and many told me their post October 7th experiences and the shift they felt. It was so moving to me. I am someone who does not have to hide who I am because I am not Jewish but many of these people felt they needed to for their safety.
I highly recommend reading Selina’s book. I recently finished it and it not only tells what happened to her in government but provides a great understanding of who she is as a person with some history tossed in there too. What I found informative though were the lessons on what antisemitism is and how we, the allies can stand with the Jewish people. Antisemitism is not just a Jewish issue, it is a Canadian issue and all of us must speak out because what starts with the Jews never ends with the Jews. Selina’s book can be purchased from Amazon and, in my opinion, should be taught in any leadership class as it showcases how leaders need courage and integrity.
