Introducing “Fragmented”

“Fragmented”

“Fragmented” is an oil painting across twelve canvases. As a whole, the work is about living in a deeply divided society, which deserves healing. It’s designed to start healing conversations about society. The work is accompanied by thought-provoking questions to aid in constructive dialogue. You’ll find them all at the end of this page.

Each canvas can stand alone.

Each of the twelve canvases is about a different divisive issue in society. None of the panels are designed to take a side on any particular issue. Instead, they consider the harm that is caused by the divisiveness that results from the issue. Conversation prompts are available for each panel to spur introspection and constructive dialogue.

They’re made for unity.

Each panel is connected to its neighbors through color, images, or texture. Together, they remind us of the risks associated with allowing divisive issues to take precedence over the humanity of people who see things differently than we do.

 

They‘re made for healing.

Across the panels, bubbles serve to distort and reflect what’s happening. To me, these bubbles reflect the lenses through which we see the world. We are influenced by our past experiences, our values, and our fears. Sometimes we see a distorted version of the truth. Other times, fear causes us to imagine the worst, or make assumptions about others who see things differently.

I invite you to explore the panels below. Each has a description of the issue that inspired it. Most importantly, each includes questions designed to prompt us to think more intentionally about how we see the world and others. These questions are designed to help us engage in more meaningful, healing conversations about divisive issues in our own communities.

They’re made for you.

It’s my sincere hope that you will find encouragement and begin your own healing conversations. I’m looking for ways to continue to share this work with the world, so if you have ideas for collaborations, if you’d like to hang the work in your community, or if you’re interested in using the prompts to hold your own healing conversation, connect with me! I’m looking for ways to help!

 

Healing begins with you and me.

Description and conversation prompts can be found below.

 

A1: Mountain top mining, fracking, etc. are all destructive in pursuit of providing energy that we consumers use every day. When done on our own soil, it serves the purpose of decreasing our dependence on foreign fuel sources. We want to conserve our beautiful land and enjoy it. We recognize the need to meet energy demands. We want to depend less and spend less money on foreign countries to meet the needs of our people. There are many solutions, which benefit different people. Ultimately, finding balance means understanding the options as well as the people who disagree with us about how to achieve that balance.

What are our shared values? What assumptions do we make when others disagree with us? What are the values that we do agree on?

B1: In my home state, logging is a hotly debated topic. It strips mountainsides of decades of growth. Neglecting to thin out the growth is to accept the very real possibility of devastating forest fires, the loss of livelihood for communities, and devastation for the forest. Both sides want healthy forests that maintain both communities and beautiful spaces in the long term.

How can we find or understand our common ground? How can we better understand our shared values when we disagree?

C1: Heroic stories of overcoming all odds are a key part of the American dream. Yet the reality for so many in poverty is that you can’t get if you don’t have. When a part of society is voiceless, all of society suffers as a result. What do we do when confronted with poverty? What assumptions do we make about those in need?

A3: There’s a lot of science that backs up the process, yet many people don’t trust vaccines. Smallpox and polio are nearly nonexistent thanks to this technology. Still, many refuse vaccines saying they’re experimental, ineffective, or that the risk is small enough that they’re not worth the potential side effects. Do you see vaccines as personal health issue, a public health issue, or both? Should individuals prioritize personal or public health when considering vaccines?

B3: Much of our country exists as beautiful, protected lands, yet some development allows people to access and see it for themselves. There are also degrees to which areas may be developed for residence, tourism, or simply providing trails for human access. Prohibiting all development certainly limits the impact of humans for the protection of wildlife. Is there currently a good balance between protected and developed land or should the balance shift? What should be considered when deciding how land should be used? Who should have a voice in the decision?

C3: This panel grew from the isolation and loneliness people experienced during COVID quarantine. The more I thought about anxiety and depression, the greater my sympathy grew for people who live with these same constraints daily. Our emotional health can hold us back or cause us to hold others at arm’s length. A whole host of emotional burdens can divide us from society and make us feel more alone that we really are. This panel is in honor of all who struggle with separation and loneliness in any form. How can our community better serve people who live with heavy emotional burdens? Who can we serve in our class, workplace, or neighborhood so they will know they’re valued? Who around you could use an act of kindness?

 

A2: Some tout drone strikes as the “most precise and humane weapons platform in history.” Others question the ease and detachment with which assassinations may take place and the safeguards that either protect or fail civilians. To what extent should we respect the choices others make? When is it important to intervene? Who should have the right to police the decisions of others? What is the difference between a “protector” and “oppressor?”

B2: “In a dry and thirsty land where there is no water.” Ps. 63:1 Water rights and access to drinking water have long been a source of conflict. Moving it from place to place is a huge money game while most of us probably take for granted that we have access to it daily. What other basic needs do people have that are neglected or withheld? Where have you seen people in your community who are missing a basic need?

C2: Newspapers began as partisan rags that would present information to an audience that primarily agreed on the stated position. Later the economics of newspapers shifted; it became more profitable to present news as “trustworthy and impartial” so more people would subscribe. Now, most major news sources have swung back to the original model – to appeal to a smaller, more loyal partisan audience. Who do you trust to give you the truth? Where do you look when you want to understand what’s going on in your community/country/the world?

A4: One of the most polarizing issues I’ve heard in recent years is the debate over whether or not global warming is: a) real or not, b) a problem or not, or c) how to change things that may or may not be contributing to it. Regardless of where you stand on this issue, most people agree that humans can do a lot to reduce our imprint on the earth so it will be a healthier home for future generations. When we all make small changes in our daily lives it adds up quickly. What are three small changes you can make in your daily life that will make the earth a little healthier place to be? What is your biggest environmental concern?

B4: There’s an extremely polarized debate over gun rights vs. gun violence in our nation. To further complicate issues, it is also largely a partisan debate. Giving up ground anywhere can feel like a betrayal of either side’s core values. There is no doubt that both responsible gun owners and devastating violence exist in our communities. What is the heart of the problem – is it the presence of guns, the mental state of owners, the ease of access to weapons, or a lack of other social services that lead people to desperate acts? What support systems in our communities need to be stronger to treat the core issue(s)?

C4: When it comes to elections or political issues, I’ve often heard people say, “I don’t really agree with either side, I find myself somewhere in the middle.” For many, political parties have become the epic Super Bowl Sunday showdown, where there are two outcomes: total annihilation, or complete and glorious victory. How many of the most important issues we face are actually binary? What would it look like if there were more than two legitimate options to choose from?