Deaf Culture: Communication Barrier, "No ASL, Not Complete"

Communication Barrier, "No ASL, Not Complete"

Biographical Information: Ellen was born deaf in Manhattan, but grew up in new Jersey. She was one of the unfortunate Deaf children who was ineffectively taught at an oral school. She graduated with her BFA in Illustration from the School of Visual Arts in New York City. She loved all different forms of art and when she moved to Maryland, she realized how much she had reflected her Deaf identity in her artwork. She feels her life and artwork blossomed when she based it around Deaf culture. She currently has a home studio titled Ellen's TileStroke Studio, where she designs all kinds of art. She has explained that her main goal is to tell a story of Deaf culture and sign language. I feel she has achieved her goal. (Biography)

Artist's Statement: "The face shows no eyes and mouth as I lost my Deaf identity. The brown stripe across my body symbolizes that I am willing to leave behind half of my body and get out of this trapped life. My arms are upward to reach out for ASL."

Background Information: "This is done is the cubist style, like Pablo Picasso’s work. It represents my memories of misery and suffering from attending public schools."

Connection to Theme: Ellen's painting connects to my theme because it represents that Deaf people don't always feel happy and proud of who they are. Sometimes, it can be a tough struggle. Ellen claims that this painting is based off her experience in public (hearing) schools and I think this is a great representation of what can happen when Deaf people are forced to be educated through oralism (non-signing education). Deaf people are not meant to be taught orally; it needs to be done visually with sign language and this painting proves exactly why. Ellen probably felt lost and alone while attending a public school and was losing who she was. Oralism strips away the Deaf identity and prevents Deaf people from being able to communicate through the language they were destined to. It destroys their culture! It's like throwing a hearing person into a Deaf classroom and saying, "Sit here and learn. No talking, only signing." It just won't work. In the painting, the artist is seen literally reaching up for what she said was ASL. She was in desperate need of her true identity, not the identity her hearing school forced her to have. This painting is very powerful and sends a good message to hearing people, which is the reason I chose to show it: Deaf people need to be educated in Deaf schools; it is what they were designed for and it is what will be most effective throughout their many years of education.

Deaf Culture