Image of the Week: Living Love
© Durga Yael Bernhard
Given the state of our nation, with waves of racial injustice and outrage moving across the land from coast to coast, I think this illustration is timely. I painted it about twenty years ago, for the publication department of United Church of Christ's national headquarters. For a theme of community fellowship, they requested an image of opposites in harmony – two people living the meaning of brotherly love.
On the level of society, no other love is more important. These two opposite figures reach for each other, forming a sort of figure-8 of blended skin tones. The mind of one is rooted in the earth, while the other grows up into the sky as foliage. Imagine if the roots and leaves of a plant fought with each other – that would be silly. This partnership is alive, growing and changing. Our society is also a living organism, to which different people bring different strengths and weaknesses. Why is that so difficult?
As a person born with very pale skin, I know what it's like to be a minority, at least temporarily. I've walked the streets of several West African cities, the only white person anywhere in sight, where children pointed at me and said "toubab!" ("white person" in the Wolof language of Senegal) or "foté!" (in the Susu language of Guinea). Those kids were curious and adorable. For over two decades I took weekly African dance classes in New York City, where the Africans and African-Americans were more numerous and far superior as dancers and musicians to the white and Asian people struggling to keep up. I marveled at the Afro-American mothers in these classes who raised their children with incredible dignity and perseverance, despite numerous disadvantages pitched against them, from cultural bias to economic injustice to outright discrimination. I envied their earthy energy and inner strength, and felt privileged to partake in their dance community, which enriched my life immeasurably. Those women were funny, too, with great belly laughs.
I'm a multicultural illustrator who happens to enjoy drawing and painting people of all skin colors. In the spirit of racial tolerance, I'll be posting a selection of these illustrations for the month of June – mostly of, and for, children, from picture books I've illustrated. As a conceptual image, this first piece is for adults – who seem to have a hard time grasping certain ideas that are simple and obvious to children. Mutual acceptance: what a concept.
May it be so.
Living Love is available as a poster or card in my webstore.
A good – and peaceful – week to all.
D Yael Bernhard