Sankofa

The painting was long forgotten; the artist moved away years ago, though they keep in touch. “It’s different from what I usually do”, she said, an artistic struggle to interpret what she saw and felt that day. So much movement, vibrancy, layers upon layers in a still portrait. The throat is alive with energy tethered by a large blue necklace, the escaping hair wild as a witch. The eyes are dark as if she broods on inner things. Her face is strong with a sad soft mouth and hooded eyes. She does not meet your gaze. There is strength here but can you see the tension within? Caught between submerging and emerging. The background is filled with light and shadows; you could imagine anything emerging – an angel, jewels, sunshine, the sea. There is power here, waiting to be released. And that unexpected blood red flash in the hair, partly obscuring the right side of the face, like a ribbon of anger, or a scar. What can we make of this? Perhaps divine courage came that day and entwined itself into her hair and her being so that life moved on at last.

written by Lisa Rossetti