Artist Statement, “So Many Petals To Go” Virtual Art Exhibition

 

When you finally get to creatively express yourself as an artist, it gives you a
peaceful mind, a joyful heart, and an inspiration to explore.

" So Many Petals To Go ", an art exhibition of selected acrylic paintings that chronicles beauty, love, and a journey through life by Victoria Abena Keta. For Victoria, when human life is born, it is like a bud that grows and matures into a beautiful self, it begins to learn the ups and downs of life working out the opportunities for a better self.

Victoria Abena Keta creative processes has helped her to understand situations around everyday living, as she learns new things that hitherto, she was not exposed to.  Through experiments of her creative processes, she is using her skills to address social issues in ways that are uplighting and justifies the individual within the collective. Victoria’s engagement on social issues has been a two-edge sword for her and the issues she highlights. Vitiligo is one of the issues she explores in the collection of works titled, So Many Petals To Go. 

Vitiligo is a chronic autoimmune condition that causes patches of skin to lose pigment or colour. This happens when melanocytes, which are skin cells that make pigment, are attacked, and destroyed, causing the skin to turn a milky-white color, which ironically, most people spent money trying to get, although uniformlly. Treatment may improve the appearance of the skin, but it doesn't correct the condition. At that point one must find the beauty inherent and accept what it is.

Life is inevitable; it flips you around and out; waiting to see what you can do with it. For many the vitiligo appears later in their life, a new life experience triggered by something. If one can do something with it like how the Senegalese Italian young man, Khaby Lame did after his lay off from work during Covid 19, it will be a blessing.

However, we must allow them to explore, to live their lives and be the best they can. We must allow them to burst the bud, to explore their potential. We must support every vitiligo person knowing that they share the life we are living with us. We must stand by them knowing that creation is diverse, and we all can’t look alike.