Breaking the Silence

cast glass, etched glass, cast bronze, fabricated steel, low-fire soft brick

4.5×1.5×2.5 in / 11.4×3.8×6.4 cm

With this piece I wanted to depict the beginning portion of my journey toward healing from past sexual abuse. I was not even able to personally acknowledge what had happened much less share it with anyone else. Shame is the great silencer, and silence kept me frozen and numb. ‘Breaking the Silence’ is a physical metaphor for the process of acknowledging, processing, and healing from harmful experiences. Breaking the silence in the literal sense is the first step toward healing and growth.

The fragmented narrative etched on the glass contains excerpts from my journal, intentionally obscured words so others can bring their own stories to the piece. The glazed form is representative of the body and housing the cast glass, a reflection on the delicate nature of the soul; the bronze bloom is an example of casting a living object in order to freeze it in time whereas the purpose of the steel joinery is to provide visual and physical unification of the elements.