We’re Not So Different, YOU & I

We’re Not So Different, YOU & I

Allison Munson

Description

I was very inspired by Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer, while working on my square. She made me want to take a look at my relation-ship to the earth and nature, and if I view these things as gifts, or prop-erty, or commodities, etc. The indigenous people in her book are resolute in viewing every aspect of nature as our peers, part of our community. Taking this mindset, of being kind and respectful to those around us, really resonates with me, that the earth is not just a helpless victim of our abuse, but a fellow neighbor that we are bullying and taking advantage of, not seeing how valuable it is to our daily lives.

In my square I want to highlight our similarities, and found some fun metaphors between our thumb prints and tree stumps, used for our identification, frozen in time. A bit of a stretch, I also love comparing leaves and handprints. I stared for a long time at my own hand, how the veins branch off and extend to the fingers, how the ends curl in when they’re tired or cold.

Akin to how we discuss human differences, through race, gender, religion, ability, etc., I wanted to show trees in our neighborhood as I would handprints in a Sunday School, showcasing how even when our skin looks different, or our cells are square or round, we get our energy from food or the sun, we are all welcome here, and we all should be treated equally.

Publication Date

Spring 2023

Disciplines

Art and Design | Social and Behavioral Sciences | Urban Studies and Planning

We’re Not So Different, YOU & I

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