Indrani Nayar-Gall
Her-Words-I
digital drawing
16.5 x 11 in.
NFS
As the news of COVID-19 spread, the death toll climbed, the fear and anxiety began gripping the world, and countries went into lockdown — increase reports of domestic violence started to appear in the media. These stories are dark. They paint images of bullish physical power, control, and misogyny. Even sadistic, knowing their victims have no place to go. They are fragile screams of tormented women, stuck at home with their abusers — no place to hide or call for help. Their words, lonely and painful, echo each other’s, within the walls. I started to gather these stories.
Her-words build narratives from reports of domestic violence in the lockdown, posted online, by dedicated journalists/news agencies in the U.S. and around the world. These stories are sensitive and private. Gloves protect, become barriers, or isolate when they are whole. These slashed, lacerated, punctured skins/gloves hang/lie exposed among pools of words that tell their stories.
© Indrani Nayar-Gall