Impossible Realities

This painting is about language deprivation that Deaf adults experience, seen as an “impossible reality syndrome.” It refers to a lack of access to and proficiency in a language, which can have profound and lasting, unfortunate effects on various aspects of life, including the thinking process, social, and emotional development. The syndrome creates a sense of disconnect from the world, leading to challenges in communication, writing, education, employment and mental health. In the painting, the cube refers to “impossible reality,” inspired by M.C. Escher, a graphic artist. I added the maze at the top of the cube and the missing puzzles at the bottom. One ladder on the left goes up and another ladder on the right goes down. The meaning behind that is samples of what it feels like being language deprived. Climbing on a ladder goes on and on and never ends. Walking through a maze goes on and on and you still get lost. Missing puzzles refer to something that is missing forever, and that makes it very frustrating and difficult to struggle with.