Our Deaf Lady of Language Rights

Our Deaf Lady of Language Rights
30 x 40 inches
Oil on canvas
2024
SOLD

Description:
Our Deaf Lady of Language Rights is inspired by Our Lady of Guadalupe and reimagines this iconic figure as a powerful symbol of Deaf identity, language, and human rights. She stands as a protector of Deaf people and an advocate for the fundamental right to accessible language.

She signs “Deaf,” expressing Deaf pride, cultural identity, and the strength of the Deaf community. The broken chains around her wrists symbolize freedom from communication barriers, oppression, and audism. Her gown is adorned with American Sign Language handshapes, representing the beauty, richness, and importance of signed language.

Her shawl is decorated with twelve eyes in remembrance of the first twelve Deaf children who died following complications from cochlear implant surgeries. The eyes symbolize remembrance, vigilance, and the importance of protecting Deaf children’s lives, identities, and language rights.

Radiating from her are rays formed by collaborative hands, representing Deaf people and allies joining together in solidarity to defend language rights and promote equal access. At the bottom of the painting, the repeated images of mouths and ears surrounding the word AUDISM symbolize the longstanding societal emphasis on speech and hearing over signed languages and Deaf ways of being.

This painting is both a tribute and a call to action—honoring Deaf resilience while affirming that language is a fundamental human right deserving of protection, respect, and justice.