Voices and Visions: Homeless Women Tell Their Stories

Friday, October 23, 2009 03:50 AM

Dahne Harding displays one of the pieces of art

Prince George, B.C.- A CNC New Media instructor hopes a new art exhibit on display at the college library will help break down stereotypes of how homeless people are perceived in Prince George.

Dahne Harding, a local artist and a graduate student in gender studies at UNBC, collected 11 pieces of artwork made by homeless women at An Association Advocating for Women and Children shelter over a 10-week period beginning in January, 2009.

What Harding discovered is that homeless women can contribute to society. The result is the exhibit entitled Voices and Visions.

“They’re telling stories but using visual vocabulary,” she said. “It’s what women’s experiences and stories tell. Art is connected to healing. They don’t have the vocabulary but they live on the margins of society. Who better to talk about why residential schools stayed in place for so long.

“These are stories and voices from so many who are living and working in those spaces. “Women have a connection directly or are inspired in some way. Women who live downtown have something to say…we can draw on their knowledge of what downtown could be.”

Every Sunday Harding led a two-hour art class. Some of the women hadn’t even seen paint or paintbrushes. Some used that medium to express themselves, but mostly recycled magazines, images and objects were used because “they weren’t scary and could tell a story.” Some attended the class because it was fun, others came because they had something to say. Their art tells stories of gangs, gender power and sexual abuse.

Most women only attended one or two sessions because they were getting treatment for their mental health and addiction issues or were out of town. Besides expressing their thoughts through art, Harding also interviewed them and those excerpts are part of the exhibit.

“The point is they get it and they need a way to develop the confidence to tell those stories, that this isn’t right,” said Harding.

“The women gained something – they left going ‘look what I made.’ I felt so privileged they would tell their stories to me, that they would want me to be part of that. They’re smart, funny and wise in ways we’re not.”

Voices and Visions is on display at CNC’s Library until the end of October.

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